Meet the Parents
by Eternal Fire
Summary: COMPLETE! Reposted at last! Harry defeated the Dark Lord, but now, he must face his next great challenge...meeting Hermione's parents. This is the edited version.
1. Arrival at the Grangers

Disclaimer:  I do not own any of these characters.  They are the property of J. K. Rowling.  Hope you like it! Meet the Parents 

"NO…ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!"

Harry Potter glared at his Uncle Vernon with disdain.  He'd just asked if it was all right if he went to Hermione's for the summer, and the pudgy, older man had immediately exploded.

"Listen, Uncle Vernon, I said that I was invited to a friend's house for the summer, and that's where I plan on going.  You won't have to worry about me at all!"

"I said no!  I will not let you go traipsing about the country with your strange friends.  You get into enough trouble as it is; I won't allow you to go anywhere."

At that moment, the doorbell rang, and Harry grinned inwardly.  He'd planned this out very carefully.  He'd even stashed his trunk near the door, and he'd let Hedwig out the night before.

"Well then, why don't you tell them right now?  That's them at the door." Uncle Vernon's face contorted in anger, and he growled under his breath.

Meanwhile, Harry's Aunt Petunia had gone to answer the door.  Upon opening it, she saw a young woman with long brown hair and soft brown eyes.  She was dressed in a pair of faded blue jeans and a red sweatshirt.

"Hello ma'am, my name is Hermione Granger." To Aunt Petunia, she looked exceptionally 'normal'.

"My…such politeness…what can I do for you?"

"I'm looking for Harry Potter."

Aunt Petunia's smile faded instantly, and a look of disgust appeared on her face.  Hermione suddenly felt very small.

"What do want to see him for?"

"She's here to pick me up!" a voice said behind her.  Hermione's smile returned when she saw Harry appear behind his aunt.

"Hi Harry."

"Hi, just give me a minute, my stuff's right here." Reaching into the hall closet, he drew out his trunk and heaved it up into his arms.

"Okay, let's go!" Harry's aunt was speechless, and she looked frozen in place so he gently nudged her aside and headed out.

As he walked down the entrance path, Harry saw a van waiting for them out in the street, and a man who he assumed was Mr. Granger was at the wheel.

"Hold it, boy!" a voice thundered.  It was Uncle Vernon, and he charged after Harry.

Both of teenagers stopped in their tracks, and Harry put his trunk down with a loud thud.  He could tell that his uncle was ready to pop, but he didn't care.  Hermione looked on nervously as the elder man grabbed Harry's shoulder firmly.

"I said that you won't be going anywhere!"

Harry gave an apologetic look towards Hermione then grabbed hold of his uncle's hand.  Using strength born of many years of quidditch practice and hard magical training, Harry forcibly removed the man's hand from his shoulder.

"Would you be so kind as to not do that again?" he growled and turned towards his uncle.  By now, Aunt Petunia had followed after her husband, and even Dudley had come to the door to hear what the ruckus was about.

Uncle Vernon, for the most part, was completely surprised that Harry had been able to overcome his grip.

"Let me explain this one more time…Hermione and her family were gracious enough to invite me for the summer, and I accepted.  You don't want me around here, and I don't care to be here so it fixes both our problems."

"Absolutely not, you will not go gallivanting off with some whore that you met at that disgusting school!"

Hermione was furious!  Harry had told her how bad his aunt and uncle were, but she was not going to stand by and be insulted like that.  However, someone beat her to the punch.

"Don't you ever call Hermione a whore again, Uncle Vernon!"

Harry's eyes locked onto the obese man, and a fire ignited inside them.  His power roared to the surface and stood simmering just underneath his angry exterior.  Hermione could feel the magic coming off of Harry, but to a muggle, he merely looked extremely pissed.

"What is this?"

Uncle Vernon backed away in horror, and Harry stalked him back to the house.  Aunt Petunia's bottom lip was quivering, and she clutched at her husband once he was close enough.  Harry continued to advance and stopped just short of the overhang on the porch.

"I'm leaving now, and that's it!  And if you ever call Hermione a whore or anything else, so help me, I'll make you wish you never met me!"

The fire in Harry's eyes blazed, and it looked ready to leap out of his body and scorch his demeaning relatives.  The Dursleys scurried back inside their house like a pack of scared rats and slammed the door.

'That takes care of that!' Harry said to himself and turned back around.  Hermione just stood there staring at him.

"What is it?" he asked with a soft smile.

"You looked ready to blow the whole house up!"

"Nah, as much as they despise me, I'd never do something like that." The smile returned to Hermione's face once again.

"Well, come on, you can meet my dad!"

Hermione gave him a hand, and the two of them picked up Harry's trunk.

Upon approaching the van, Mr. Granger exited the vehicle and walked around to open the rear door for them.  After Harry set it inside, he turned towards the older man.  He looked to be in his late thirties early forties, had sandy blond hair, and hazel eyes.

"Ah, so you're the young man I've heard so much about – from Hermione that is." His daughter beamed with pride, and Harry blushed slightly.

"How do you do, sir, I'm Harry Potter?" and he extended his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you." Harry swore that he saw a hint of nervousness flash in the man's eyes.

"I'm John Granger, it's a pleasure to meet you too, Harry, Hermione's told us quite a lot about you." The young man's head lowered slightly.

"Um…Mr. Granger, I apologize for what you just saw; my uncle should never have called Hermione something so degrading."

"Relax Harry, I saw how you defended her, and I thank you for that.  Well, I suggest we get going."

"Come on, you can ride in the back with me," Hermione chirped and led him around to the side door.  

She hopped into the first row of seats, and Harry sat beside her as he slid the door shut.  Hermione reached down and took his hand, and he felt all the tension draining out of his body.  Her eyes took hold of him, and her gaze made his heartbeat accelerate rapidly.

'Gosh, has it only been a few days?  It feels like it's been a year!' Harry thought silently.

Mr. Granger turned on the engine, and they pulled away from the Dursleys' home.

"Excuse me, but could we stop for a moment, please?" Harry asked about two blocks down the street.

"Sure, is something wrong?" Mr. Granger asked.

"Did you forget something?" Hermione added.

"Sort of…I'll just be a minute."

Harry climbed out of the van and looked towards a clump of trees that resided near the Dursleys' house.  He whistled softly and waited.  Out of the grove sprung a snowy, white owl, and Hermione immediately recognized her.

"It's Hedwig!"

"Who's that?" her father inquired.

"That's Harry's pet owl; I was wondering why he wasn't carrying her with him."

Hedwig landed on Harry's arm, and he brushed her white feathers tenderly.

"All right, girl, I'm leaving now.  Think you can follow us?" His owl screeched loudly and bobbed her head.

"Okay, off you go!" Harry raised his arm, and Hedwig flapped her wings.  The snowy owl lifted off, and she swooped around the neighborhood, keeping a watchful eye.

"Thank you."

Harry climbed back in, and Hermione chuckled.

"I wondered why she wasn't with you."

"I let her loose last night, and she was waiting for me to call her."

"Will she really be able to follow us?" Mr. Granger asked in slight amazement.

"Oh absolutely, that's the smartest owl I know!" Hermione answered.  Harry just grinned.  Mr. Granger turned his attention back to the road, and the trio headed off.

Four hours later, Harry watched, as they pulled up in front of a beautiful, two-story home.  It had black shingles on the roof, white siding that looked freshly painted, and a beautiful garden flanking both sides of the entryway.

"Wow, your house is incredible, Hermione!" His girlfriend squeezed his hand.

Mr. Granger drove the van up the half-rotary like driveway and parked near the front door.

"Well, here we are.  Hermione, why don't you take Harry inside; I'll grab his trunk."

"Are you sure, sir?  Usually, it takes two people to carry that thing!" Harry objected.

"Don't worry, I'll manage."

Hermione climbed over Harry and jumped out the door.

"C'mon you!  I want you to meet my mom!"

Harry grinned inwardly; he'd never seen Hermione like this before.  She looked like she was floating on air – and not levitating.  He beamed at the thought of being responsible for making her look so radiant.

Hermione grabbed him by the hand and practically dragged him towards the door.

"Hold on, I'm coming!" he laughed.

"Mom, we're here!" Hermione called after she'd let them in.

Harry took a quick look around and found that he liked the interior of the house.  From his vantage point, he could see a living room to the left and a dining room beyond that.  The kitchen was straight ahead from the front door, and Harry saw what he guessed was a den to the right of the front door.

"Ah, so you must be Harry!"

Turning his head, the young wizard saw a woman in her late thirties coming out of the kitchen.  She had long, brown hair just like Hermione and blue eyes, but they held the same depth as Hermione's carried.

"How do you do, I'm Harry Potter." He extended his hand, and Mrs. Granger gladly shook it.

She eyed him and knew instantly that this was the young man that her daughter had written to her about.  Hermione had drawn a complete picture for her – messy, dark hair, tall stature, and green eyes that could melt lead.

"Nice to meet you, Harry, I'm Melinda Granger."

"Are you going to keep him in the doorway forever, dear?" came a voice behind them.  Mr. Granger stood behind them holding Harry's trunk and looking ready to collapse.

"Sorry about that, honey." Mrs. Granger quickly had them move out of the way.

Harry turned towards Mr. Granger and whispered something under his breath.

"Huh, guess this thing gets lighter the more you carry it," he laughed.

Hermione looked at Harry out of the corner of her eye and saw him trying to keep a grin off his face.  He was really sweet; he'd put a lightening charm on his trunk to cut the weight in half.

"Well then, I just finished making lunch so come on in."

Harry followed Mrs. Granger into the kitchen with Hermione in tow.  Again, the décor captivated the young man.  The cabinets and countertops were a deep maple color, and he could see several spice ranks hung along the wall.  Hermione had told him that both her parents worked as dentists, but Harry couldn't argue with their furnishing taste.

"Is there something that I can do to help?" he asked.

"Not at all, just sit down at the table."

"You heard her, Potter, march!" Hermione ordered.  Harry tried hard not to laugh as his girlfriend shoved him into the dining room.

The two sat down at the oval shaped table, and Hermione glared at him slightly.

"Harry, you're a guest here; you don't have to do anything."

"Hermione, I'm gonna be here for the whole summer; I can't just free-load off your parents; that's rude!"

"You're too noble for your own good."

"I'm just being polite," he countered.

"Oh really…" Hermione leaned closer and whispered in his ear, "…then be even more polite and kiss me."

Back in the kitchen, Mrs. Granger listened to their conversation in the next room.  Her daughter had not exaggerated when she'd mentioned what a giving person Harry really was.  From what little she knew, Harry Potter was a legend in the wizarding world; she found it odd that a person with such fame could be so humble.  Smiling to herself, she decided that it was going to be very interesting having Harry Potter in her house.


	2. Answered Questions

After lunch, Harry followed Hermione upstairs, and she ushered him into his room.

"This is our guest room," she stated.

The room wasn't huge, but it was still much larger than Harry's back at the Dursleys' house.  The bed was covered in navy blue linens, there was a desk in the corner for writing, and there was also a dresser to store his things.

"Too bad, I thought I'd be staying with you," Harry teased, and his eyes flashed with fire.

"Hey!" Hermione gasped and blushed, "Simmer down, Romeo, or I won't show you my room."

"All right."

"Good, follow me."

Hermione led him down the hall while showing him where the bathroom was then stopping at the third door on the left.

As soon as Harry stepped inside, he knew it was her room.  Crookshanks was snoring softly on her bed, and the fat, orange cat scratched at something in her sleep.  What really sealed it was the massive bookshelf against the far wall.  It had to be almost ten feet wide and six feet high; moreover, it was completely full of books.  A dresser similar to his sat on the opposite wall, and it had a tall mirror above it.  A flash of something white caught Harry's eyes, and he tilted his head to see that Hermione had her own bathroom in here.

"What are you smiling at?" Hermione asked, noting the corny grin he was giving her.

"Nothing, it's just that this room is so…you."

"How so?"

"Well…it looks like the person who stays here is a bit of a bookworm but feminine at the same time.  Otherwise, why is there make-up and perfume in front of your mirror?"

"Okay, I'll admit it; I wear that stuff sometimes; you know that!" Harry walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"That I do.  I always love the way you smell," he said softly and nuzzled her neck.

Hermione melted in his embrace and sighed as he kissed her neck.  Reaching out with a stray hand, she pushed her bedroom door closed and grabbed onto his sweater.

"No more teasing, c'mere!" She grabbed him by the hair and mashed their lips together.

Harry grinned against her mouth and tightened his arms around her.  Hermione began backing up and pulled him with her.  She fell back onto her bed and pulled Harry on top of her.  His hands slid up and down her spine making her arch into his body.

"Hermione!" he gasped.

"Yes, my love?" she cooed while sliding her hands up under his sweater.  Somehow, he pulled away from her deadly assault and looked into her eyes.

"Sweetheart, we need to stop.  I really want this, but we need to stop."

"But why?" Hermione pouted prettily.  Harry put a finger to her lips.

"Believe me, Herm, it's not for lack of wanting, but this is your parent's house."

"So what?  They're both busy downstairs and won't bother us for a long time." She began rubbing the base of his neck, and Harry glared at her slightly.

"Listen Herm, before I came here, I made myself a promise.  I swore that I wouldn't touch you until your parents knew about us; it wouldn't be right."

"You what?  How could you do something so stupid?"

"I just didn't want your parents to think we were lying to them.  Look, you told your mom that I was your friend, and I have a feeling that she knows that we're more than that, but we haven't told them about how serious we are about each other.  Hermione, one thing that I've learned is that the bond between parents and their children is precious, and I don't want you to lose that in any way."

Hermione wasn't sure whether to be happy or angry with him, but what he said did make a lot of sense to her.

"All right, we'll tell them, but I suggest we wait a few days.  Let my parents get to know you first; it'll soften the blow if they see how wonderful you are." Harry blushed at her compliment.

"Then…" Hermione threaded her fingers into his hair, "…when that conversation is over…"she cooed.

"I'll make love to you every night if you want!"

"Hmm, I like that idea, but in the meantime, come back down here!" She pulled him down and caught his mouth with hers.

"Hermione…" he sighed.

"Ah…ah…ah…you said no lovemaking, Harry, that doesn't mean we can't makeout!"

'She does have a point!'

"I suppose not." He caught her mouth again and clutched her body against his chest.

"That was delicious!  Thank you, Mrs. Granger," Harry said with a smile, having finished his second helping of roasted ham and mashed potatoes.

"You're welcome, Harry, I'm glad you liked it."

On impulse, Harry gathered his empty plate and glass and headed towards the kitchen.

"Where are you going, Harry?" Mrs. Granger asked.  The young man froze.

"I was going to clean these." The older woman smiled at him.

"Please Harry, sit back down, you've barely said a word throughout dinner."

He returned to the table and put his things back down.

"I'm sorry, it's just that…I've never been asked anything at the dinner table."

That brought a surprised look to the entire Granger family.

"Are you serious, Harry?" Mr. Granger asked this time.

"Yes sir, I am.  When my aunt and uncle and my cousin ate dinner, they completely ignored me.  When I tried to say something, they just acted like I wasn't there; so, after a while, I just learned to keep my mouth shut."

"That's terrible, Harry!" Mrs. Granger gasped. "How could they be so cruel to you?"

Harry began to feel slightly uncomfortable.  He had both Mr. and Mrs. Granger staring at him intently, and even Hermione was looking at him anxiously.

"To be quite honest, ma'am, my aunt and uncle hated me from the moment I was left on their doorstep.  They knew that I wasn't 'normal', and that was why they hated me so much.  They hated anything that had to do with magic or wizardry, and that included me.  They never told me about who my parents were; I wasn't told until Hagrid came and gave me my letter to Hogwarts."

"But still, you can't treat a child like that!" Mrs. Granger said rather angrily.

Hermione watched Harry with loving eyes.  She knew that he'd had a rough childhood, but he'd never really given any details about it.  She was starting to understand where Harry's inner strength truly came from.

"As far as I'm concerned, my life with them is over; there's no use hating them."

"You're quite the man, Harry.  Not many people can turn the other cheek," Mr. Granger stated with a bit of pride in his voice.  His wife decided to change the subject.

"So Hermione…" Mrs. Granger interrupted, "…tell me, when did you two start seeing each other?"

"What are you talking about?" Hermione gulped as her cheeks tinted, and Harry's face flushed slightly.

"Don't try to hide it, young lady, a mother knows these things.  I don't have to be psychic to see the connection between you two; every time you're together, there's a glow that emits from the both of you."

The teenagers looked at one another and figured now was a time as good as any.  Harry decided to start.

"Well, we see each other every day because we have the same classes and because we're best friends.  However, we didn't become a couple until early last term.  We'd always looked out for one another, and it just sort of happened."

"You see, Harry had been hurt very badly, and when I saw him lying there in the hospital, I finally realized how much he meant to me.  He was my best friend, but he was so much more than that to me."

The two gazed into one another's eyes, and you could almost see the love flowing between them.

Mrs. Granger had a small smile on her face as she gazed at the young couple.

"Well…we should clean up now.  Hermione, you can give me a hand, and John, why don't you take Harry into the living room."

"Sure dear, c'mon Harry."

Hermione followed her mother into the kitchen with an armful of dishes.

"Mom, are you mad?"

"About what, sweetie?"

"That I didn't tell you about Harry and I." Mrs. Granger put the dishes into the sink and turned towards her daughter.

"No Hermione, I'm not mad; he's a very nice, young man.  You pick your boyfriends well, I see."

"He's more than just my boyfriend, mom; he's my best friend."

"That's even better, honey, friendship is often the best base to romance."

"Harry's just so incredible!  Every time I'm with him, my heartbeat triples, and my skin gets goosebumps.  And when he kisses me, I feel like I'm about to melt onto the floor."

Mrs. Granger actually started chuckling.

"Sounds like you're in love, my daughter."

"I am, mom, I know I am.  I love him so much, and he loves me just the same."

"I could see that by the way you were looking at each other.  You had the same look your father and I had when we were your age."

Hermione smiled brightly; she was glad that her mom was so accepting of Harry – and after only one day!  She couldn't really blame her though; Harry could charm the socks off of anyone and not even know it.  There was one other thing that she needed to tell her mom, and it was not going to be easy.

"Mom, there's something else I have to tell you.  It's about Harry and I; we've…well… you know…" Mrs. Granger's eyes widened in shock, and she stared at her daughter.

"I wasn't expecting this, Hermione, I assumed that you two were dating, but I didn't realize that you'd actually slept together.  When did it happen?"

"The first time was on my birthday earlier this year, and the second was about two weeks ago at school."

"Were you two careful?" Hermione drew back slightly.

"If you're asking me if I'm pregnant, the answer is no.  Mom, I know this is a shock, but I want you to understand that we didn't do this on a whim.  Harry and I have been close for the last seven years, and when we became a couple, it was just another step we took.  I wouldn't have given myself to him unless I was one hundred percent sure.  He was my first, and I was his."

"It sounds like you two have really thought this through; I should have known you would.  You always think things through, Hermione, and now, I know you thought this through as well."

Opening her arms, Mrs. Granger gave her daughter a hug, and Hermione smiled into her mother's chest.

Meanwhile, Harry took a seat in one of the recliners, and Mr. Granger took a seat next to him.  The older man clasped his hands together and gazed at the young wizard.

"Harry…I'm going to ask you something, and I would like a truthful answer."

"Of course, sir."

"Have you been intimate with my daughter?"

There it was – as plain as day.  No nonsense…no deception…just blunt and to the point.  But Harry would not lie about his relationship with Hermione.  He had wanted to wait for a little while, but fate had cut his time short.  So, he squared his shoulders and looked John Granger right in the eye.

"Yes, Mr. Granger, I have." He never broke eye contact, and the older man glared at him slightly.

"I see, how often?"

"Only twice.  Once on her birthday this past year, and once a few weeks ago after a ball at Hogwarts."

"So I take it you're very fond of her."

"No sir, it's much more than that.  To be quite frank, I'm in love with Hermione."

"How do you know that?" Mr. Granger countered.

"I can't explain it; I just know it.  No one makes me feel the way she does.  Every time I see her, I want to hold her in my arms forever, and every time she smiles, it melts my heart.  I've never loved anyone except Hermione.  I love her because she's intelligent, beautiful, compassionate, funny, sweet, and occasionally sassy."

"Sounds like you know her pretty well then."

"I'd like to think so, sir.  Hermione has supported me through so much; she's always been there for me.  Likewise, I've always tried to be there for her and protect her to make sure that she's always safe."

"You're quite a young man, Harry, I can see that you care very deeply about my daughter.  However, you must understand my nervousness; you're the first boy that she's ever brought home to meet us."

"Yes sir, I understand, I know this is probably not what you wanted to hear, but I won't lie about Hermione and I."

"That's a good standard, Harry, keep it.  And by the way, stop calling me 'sir'; you're making me feel old.  Just call me John."

"All right."

"Are you through lecturing him, John?" a voice came from the kitchen.

"Yes, you can come in now."

Mrs. Granger and Hermione walked in carrying a tray of desserts.

"Okay dad, what'd you do to him?" Hermione said with her hands on her hips.

"Nothing Hermione, you can have him back."

Sitting down on the loveseat, Hermione patted the seat beside her.

"C'mere," she motioned to Harry.

Trying to hold back a grin, he stood up and padded across the carpet.  He plopped down beside her, and she looked him up and down.

"Okay, let's see…no bumps…no bruises…you're clean."

"Why thank you for that kind evaluation."

"Hush you!" Hermione leaned up and whispered in his ear, "We're all clear, Harry." He reached down and took her hand.

"I know, sweetheart, I know."

Hermione blushed deeply; she hadn't expected Harry to call her that in front of her parents.  Mrs. Granger took the chair beside her husband when an idea came to her.

"John, why don't you light the fireplace?" she advised pointing to the large fireplace in the center wall of the room.

"Sure, why not?"

Mr. Granger bent down and set the logs in place.  Grabbing the lighter off the mantle above, he clicked it on to get a spark.  After several moments, nothing happened.

"Well, we've got two problems.  One, the lighter is out of fuel, and two, the logs were too fresh and damp to light.  Sorry."

"May I try?" Harry asked.

"Sure, but I'm not quite sure what you plan to do," Mr. Granger answered.  He offered Harry the lighter, but the young man shook his head.

"No thank you, I won't need that." Hermione suddenly knew what he was doing.

"Harry!" she gasped, and he turned towards her.

"Relax Herm, there's nothing to worry about.  I suggest you move back," he instructed Mr. Granger.  The older man returned to his seat and looked at Harry curiously.

Harry looked at the fireplace and focused on the logs.

"Inflamare!" 

Mr. and Mrs. Granger were shocked to see their fireplace erupt in flames as the logs ignited.  They both stared at Harry, and Hermione glared at him in annoyance.

"You idiot, you could get in trouble for using magic!"

"No, I won't, I have permission to use magic – in moderation."

"You do?"

"Uh huh, I got it before I left Hogwarts."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I wanted to surprise you," he laughed.  Harry noticed that Hermione's parents were still staring at him.

"Harry…what did you just do?"

"He cast a spell, mom.  That was a fire spell to ignite the logs," Hermione explained.

"My goodness, I thought the house was going to explode or something."

"I apologize, Mrs. Granger, I didn't mean to frighten either of you; I just wanted to help."

The two grown-ups looked at one another and actually started laughing.

"That's all right, Harry, but just give us fair warning next time," Mr. Granger chuckled.

With that, the two couples sat back to enjoy their dessert by the firelight.


	3. Danger Harry cooking

Harry couldn't remember ever having a better summer than this.  Hermione's parents were very kind to him, and he enjoyed every minute he spent at their home.  He and Hermione actually spent a lot of time alone together because Mr. and Mrs. Granger had to work during the day.  They owned their own dental office, and summer was a busy time for them.  The two teenagers didn't mind at all.

"Honey, I'm home!" Hermione giggled as she entered the front door.  In her hands was a grocery bag.  Harry had sent her out to get a few things, but he wouldn't tell her why.

"In here, sweetheart!" a voice called from the kitchen.

'Uh oh, if he's messed up the kitchen, mom's gonna kill him.'

"Harry, you better not have made a mess, or my mom's gonna go nuts!" she gasped as she walked in.

Her jaw dropped at the site in front of her.  There was Harry Potter – probably the most powerful wizard in the world – wearing an apron and buzzing around the kitchen.  His t-shirt had red splotches, and his dark pants had flour handprints on them.

"Did you find everything?" he asked hopefully.

"What are you doing?" She sniffed the air, "And what smells so good?"

"Oh no, that's a surprise, but you can help me with something else."

"And what is that?"

"Bring the bag over, and I'll show you."

Hermione handed him the paper sack, and Harry drew out the ingredients he'd asked her to get.  He set them on the counter and wiped his sticky hands on the apron he was wearing.

"What are you smiling at?" he quipped, noting the cheesy grin on her face.

"Nothing, I've just never seen you in an apron."

"Oh yeah, well just for that, you're not gonna find out what I'm doing.  Now, out!"

"Come on, just a little peak," she teased and slithered towards the oven, but Harry cut her off seeing the sly smile on her lips.

"I said no!" he said forcibly and pointed to the door.

"Hmmph, fine, you can do all the work yourself," she fumed and marched into the living room.  Harry just grinned and went back to work.

Three hours, Mr. and Mrs. Granger came home.  Upon entering the house, they immediately noticed a delicious aroma in the air.

"Wow, something smells good in here," Mr. Granger stated, and his stomach growled in agreement.

"Hermione?"

"In here, mom," she called and popped out of the living room.

"Sweetie, what's going here?  What smells so wonderful?"

"Oh, it's Harry, he's been in the kitchen for the last several hours cooking, but the jerk won't tell me what he's making!"

"Harry's cooking," both adults gasped.

"Yup, he even had me go out shopping for him earlier, and since then, he's barricaded himself in there."

"Hmm, I better check on him then," Mrs. Granger advised.

Harry opened the oven to check on the dinner he'd made when Melinda Granger's head popped into the kitchen.

"Oh hello Mrs. Granger," he said with a smile.

Melinda looked around to see various bowls strewn around the countertop, but her kitchen was still in one piece.

"Hello Harry, what's going on in here?"

"Hermione told me that you and Mr. Granger were working late this week so I decided to cook dinner for everyone; I hope you don't mind?"

Melinda wanted to kiss the boy.  She was exhausted from her day at work and didn't even want to think about dinner, and here, her prayers were answered by this young man who she hadn't even known more than a month.

"Not a all, Harry, it smells heavenly in here.  What exactly is it?" He just smiled at her.

"That's a surprise.  If you'd like to go into the dining room, it'll be ready in five minutes."

"I look forward to it."

"Well?" Hermione asked when her mother returned from the kitchen.

"He said to sit in the dining room; dinner will ready in five minutes," Mrs. Granger answered with a wide smile on her face.

"Did he at least say what he made?" her daughter asked rather annoyed.

"No, but I'm sure it'll be good."

"At least he could tell me," Hermione pouted.

"Sweetie, don't complain, it's very rare that you find a man who knows his way around a kitchen," her mother laughed.

"Well then," John Granger interrupted, "I suggest we take Harry's advice and sit down at the table."

Harry poked his head out of the kitchen to see the Grangers seated at the dining room table.  Smiling widely, he walked in carrying a large platter covered in tin foil.  He set in down in the center of the table and shook his hands rapidly.

"Please be careful, that plate's a little warm!"

"What's underneath?" Hermione piped up, glaring at him slightly.  Harry only smiled at her.

"Go ahead and look, Herm, I'll bring the rest out."

Her mind dripping with curiosity, and her stomach growling with hunger, Hermione nearly shredded the tin foil.  On the platter was a gorgeously roasted chicken.

"My goodness, that looks wonderful," Mrs. Granger commented.

"Thank you," Harry called as he came back in.

He placed a bowl of rice next to Hermione, a bowl of garlic potatoes next to Mr. Granger, and a plate of fresh strawberries next to Mrs. Granger.

"My word, Harry, you didn't have to do all this."

"It's not a problem, ma'am, I don't mind cooking."

"Jeez Harry, now I understand why you wanted oregano and strawberries," Hermione laughed.

"Yeah, I couldn't find any on the shelves."

"Well then, let's dig in…shall we?" Mr. Granger suggested.

"Oh my gosh!" Melinda gasped, "Harry, what's in this?  It's incredible!"

"At the risk of insulting my own wife, Harry, this is the best roast chicken that I've ever had!" Mr. Granger sighed.

"I'm glad you like it," he answered and flushed slightly.  Hermione squeezed his hand.

"So…you've still got a few tricks up your sleeve, eh?"

"Maybe…go ahead and enjoy it, but please leave room for dessert."

"Dessert?" they all asked him at the same time.

"Yes, in fact, it should be done by now.  Excuse me."

Harry stood up out of his chair and headed back into the kitchen.

"Hey sweetie, I'd hang onto that boy if I were you," Mrs. Granger laughed. "He does things without even being asked.  That's a quality that many women want in the man they love."

"Mom, would you cut it out!" Hermione gasped and blushed.

"Did I miss anything?" Harry asked as he came back in wearing oven mittens and carrying a steaming pie tin.

"What'd you make?" his girlfriend inquired.

"Nothing much, it's just plain, old apple pie."

"My goodness, Harry, you're spoiling us all," Mr. Granger laughed.

"Well, I figured that I might as well do something useful while I'm here."

After dinner was over, Harry returned to the kitchen to clean the dishes, and Hermione followed him with a pile of plates in her hands.

"Are you still mad at me?" he asked while scrubbing the utensils.

"Yeah, a little, but that food was great so I guess I can forgive you."

Harry turned towards her and saw the warm smile on her face.  Pulling his hands out of the soapy water, he wrapped his arms around her – suds and all.

"Harry, what are you hmmph…" Hermione tried to object, but his mouth shut her up.

"You'll get soap in my hair!" she finally said out of breath.  He merely grinned at her and kissed her again.

"That's okay…" he said against her lips, "…we'll wash it off in the shower later."

"Why you?  What makes you think that's going to happen?" she said rather irritated but still unable to break their kiss.  Harry pulled her against his body and nuzzled her neck.

"Because I haven't given you my special dessert yet, sweetheart." Her eyes lit up at the low, seductive tone in his voice.

"Hmm, and just what does this 'dessert' entail?" Hermione cooed softly.

"Ahem!" The two jumped apart as Mrs. Granger entered the kitchen.

"Well…I see you two were busy in here," she said with a wide grin.  

Both teenagers blushed deeply knowing that they'd been caught and quickly went back to cleaning the dishes.  Harry washed, and Hermione dried.  Once they were all finished, he brushed up against her and leaned down next to her ear.

"Later tonight, my Hermione," he whispered.  Her eyes turned in his direction, but she didn't move her head.

"I'll be waiting, my love."

Harry drew back from her before Mrs. Granger noticed him and started putting the plates back into the cabinets.

Late that night, Harry lay in his room listening for any movement in the house.  Mr. and Mrs. Granger had gone to bed about an hour before, and he was just biding his time.  Hedwig chirped from inside her cage, and Harry climbed out of bed.

"Hey girl, you want to go out?" The snowy owl bobbed its head.

"Okay…" he opened the cage, and she perched onto his arm, "…off you go." Hedwig flew out his window into the quiet night, searching for a midnight snack.

'It's about time,' he thought to himself.

Harry decided it would be smarter if he didn't walk down to Hermione's room; he didn't want to wake up her parents.  So, getting a picture of her room in his mind, he disapparated.

Hermione rubbed her hands together anxiously; her whole body was tingling with nervousness.  The thought of having Harry here…in her 'real' bed made her blood begin to boil.  She picked up a candle from her nightstand and walked over to her dresser.  She checked her appearance in the mirror to make sure that her hair hadn't been ruffled from lying on her bed.  Hermione looked down at her attire.  She'd been a little apprehensive about wearing a nightgown in front of Harry, but her heart told her to trust him.  It wasn't provocative – merely simple sleepwear.  The material was thin but not transparent, and it ran all the way down her legs.  A small pop made her turn her head, and she saw Harry apparate into her bedroom.

'Bloody hell!' his mind screamed when he beheld the sight in front of him.

"Sweetheart…is that…is that really you?" he gulped with his jaw on the floor.

"Like it?" Hermione asked as she pirouetted in front of him.

"Hermione…I…I…come here, please."

She smiled at the pleading tone in his voice and went straight into his arms.  He was only wearing a t-shirt and shorts, and she licked her lips.  That just made less to take off.

The two lovers were a complete wreck.  Hermione's nightgown was plastered to her sweat-drenched skin, and her hair was a tangled mess on the pillows.  Her eyes were closed, and she was puffing out breathes a mile a minute.  Harry brushed her wet hair out of her face and rolled her onto her back.

"You're amazing, sweetheart," he sighed while stroking her cheek.

"No, you are, my love.  Gosh, how long was that…three…four hours?"

"Around that I guess, but I'm not sure.  I get distracted when I'm around you," he teased and kissed her swollen lips.

Hermione shivered, and she realized how cold she felt.  Her wet nightgown felt like ice against her hot skin.

"Here, let's warm you up," Harry advised.

Pulling off the soaked material, Hermione dropped it to the ground and rolled back into his arms.  He pressed her up against his body, and she purred happily, feeling his warmth.

"Hmm, I love being with you like this," she sighed happily and buried her face in his throat.  He kissed her forehead and grabbed hold of her comforter.

"Let's rest now, sweetheart," he sighed and wrapped the blanket around them.

"All right, but don't be surprised if I wake you up in a few hours," she teased and looked up at him with a big smile on her face.  Harry bent down and kissed her goodnight.

"Anything you want, Hermione, you know I can't say 'no' to you."

"Pleasant dreams, Harry." He tightened his hold on her and settled her on his chest to sleep.

"I don't need to dream anymore.  My dream's already come true," and he tucked the blanket around her small body.  Hermione smiled against his chest and placed her hand on top of his heart.

"So has mine, my darling, so has mine," and she closed her eyes, feeling him stroking his fingers through her hair.

Harry watched her for a few minutes, feeling his body ready to slip into a deep sleep.

'I have but one dream left, Hermione Granger, and that is to make you, Hermione Potter.'


	4. Potions and Advertisements

Harry woke up with a slight headache.  He reached out to hold onto Hermione, knowing that it would take his mind off it, but he found the spot beside him empty.  Opening his eyes, he saw that she'd already gotten out of bed.  Harry's sharp eyes picked up the sound of her shower turning off, and a minute later, Hermione walked back into the room clad only in a long, fluffy towel.  Rolling onto his back, the young wizard put his hands behind his head and whistled softly.

"Harry!" Hermione jumped slightly, seeing him staring at her with the world's biggest grin on his face.

"Nice outfit, Herm, it becomes you quite well," he laughed, but his eyes began to darken with desire.

Hermione licked her lips and sashayed off to the bed, letting her hips sway wider than normal.  She sat down next to him, and Harry sat up to take her in his arms.  He caught her mouth with a soft kiss that quickly turned into a raging inferno.

"Hmm, we can't, Harry, it's time to get up," his lover protested.

"But I have a headache, and I need some consoling for the pain," he pouted, giving her his best imitation of puppy dog eyes.  Hermione bopped him on the nose and giggled.

"You're insatiable, my love."

"No more than you, sweetheart."

Harry lay back and pulled Hermione on top of him.  She didn't resist him as he undid her towel and began to caress the wonders of her body.

"Hermione!" a voice called through her door; the two lovers froze.

'Oh no, it's my mom!' the young woman gulped silently.  To Harry's silent protest, she tied the towel back around her body and jumped off the bed to grab her robe on her dresser.

"See you in a few minutes," Harry said with a regretful smile and disapparated right off her bed.  She giggled again; magic definitely had its advantages.

Tying her robe in place, Hermione lifted the silencing charm from her room and headed for the door.

"Coming mom," she called a few seconds before she opened the door.

Hermione shut her bedroom door trying to keep from laughing her head off.  Her mom had been suspicious that she and Harry might be going at it so she'd come to check on them.  If it wasn't for Harry knowing how to disapparate, their situation of her lying on top of him on her bed with a wide open towel would have been quite difficult to explain.  Instead, her mom had just come to say good morning and to tell her that her father wasn't feeling too well.

Another knock brought Hermione to the door once again, but she was more than happy to see Harry standing in her doorway.

"Hey Herm, sorry to be a pain, but do you mind if I use your bathroom?"

She just shook her head.  He was just here not more than five minutes ago, yet he thought he had to ask to use something inside.

"Of course, you can.  Is something wrong with the other one?"

"Your dad's inside, and he doesn't sound too good.  I asked your mom, and she said that he might have a bad case of the flu."

"Oh my, I didn't even notice," Hermione sighed and looked down at the floor.

"Sorry sweetheart, I guess I've had all your attention."

"No Harry, it's not your fault."

"Tell you what, after I clean up, how 'bout we hunt for a potion for him.  I'm sure some wizard came up with an antidote to a fouled-up stomach."

"That's a great idea.  I'll get dressed and start looking."

"Okay, be out in five minutes," and Harry disappeared into her bathroom.

Hermione pulled on pair of shorts and a t-shirt before heading to her bookcase in search of her 'Remedies to all Illnesses' book.

After about an hour of searching, Harry and Hermione couldn't find anything about remedies for the flu.

"I don't get it.  There has to be thousands of muggle cures for it; you'd think wizards would come up with some as well," Hermione sighed.

"Some things aren't explainable…" Harry answered as he skimmed over another crinkly page of text. "…hold it…I got it!"

"Where?" He pointed to appointed section.

"I don't believe this," Hermione groaned, "They labeled it as 'gastrointestinal imbalance'!  Who in the name of Merlin wrote this book?" She turned the spine over to read 'Author:  Miles Lieter – Master of Gigantic Words'.

"What's the ingredients for it?" Harry inquired.

Hermione flipped back to the page and looked over the list of items.  They weren't too hard to find, but she wasn't sure where to find two cloves of stinkweed.

"Well…I think we can find most of this stuff here in the house, but I don't where to get stinkweed from."

"Don't worry, I have some," he answered.  She looked at him shocked.

"Harry…you have a collection of stinkweed?  Since when?"

"Since I got a gift bag from Fred and George Weasley.  It was the grand opening at their joke shop, and they sent me all these weird things to play pranks on people – from stinkweed to trick fireworks to exploding gumballs.  Trust me, if it's weird, they can get it for you." Hermione started laughing.

"That's true.  Well then, let's get cracking…" An eerie groan emanated from down the hallway, "…before my dad loses whatever stomach he has left."

Harry followed her downstairs, and the two headed for the kitchen.

"Mom, how's dad?" Hermione asked.  Her mother gave her a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"I called the doctor this morning since he's been sick the last few days.  Your father has a bad stomach virus, but unfortunately, there isn't a real cure for it.  The body just has to purge it on its own.  Until then, we just have to try to keep him comfortable."

"Maybe we can help," Harry piped up.

"Yeah mom, that's why we came down here.  Do you know if we have these things?" and Hermione handed her mother the list of ingredients from her book.

"Hmm…I think so…I should have most of these, but I'm not so sure about the rosemary, lizard scales, and stinkweed." Her face contorted as she read the last two.

"I might have them in my collection," Hermione stated.

"Your collection?" Harry asked and looked at her quizzically.

"Come on, I'll show you."

He followed her into the pantry adjacent to the kitchen, and Hermione opened a cabinet in the back of the room.

"Wow!" Harry gasped as he saw the various items she kept inside.  There was just about ever ingredient from their Potions class stored inside.  She even had a Mandrake in a pot.

"Jeez Herm, this reminds me of Herbology class."

"Very funny, I keep this here in case I need it over the summer."

"Need it for what?" She glared at him.

"Contrary to other people, I don't just lie around all summer; I practice quite a bit so I don't forget everything."

Harry tried hard to keep a straight face, but he just couldn't help it and started laughing.

"What are you laughing at?" Hermione said angrily.

"I'm sorry, it's just that…I should have guessed you'd have something like this." His girlfriend crossed her arms over her chest.

"Yeah well…I guess…when we're together, I don't need to use my brains very much unless we're studying for a test or class."

Hermione turned away from him and silently began looking for what she needed.  Harry could sense her uneasiness and walked up behind her.

"Sweetheart…" he sighed and wrapped her in his arms, "…I'm not ashamed that my girlfriend is so much smarter than myself or anyone else; in fact, I kind of like it.  I love you for your beauty and your brains – neither one matters more to me."

Hermione turned her head around with a big smile on her lips.  She'd really needed to hear that.

"Thanks Harry, I needed to hear that from you.  I know it doesn't matter, but sometimes, it's nice to be reminded."

"How's this…" and he gave her a long, sweet kiss.

"More than adequate."

"Good, now, let's find that stuff."

Mrs. Granger was nervous about Hermione brewing a potion in her kitchen, but her daughter assured her that nothing would go wrong.

"Okay…let's see…we added the cloves and the rosemary.  What's left?" Hermione asked.  Harry looked at the large book open on the counter.

"Uh…just add the stinkweed, and it should be done."

The moment that Hermione dropped in the small greenish-gray plant, the potion exploded upwards, and a puff of smoke erupted out of the pot.  She was thrown backwards, but Harry's quick reflexes caught her before she hit the ground.

"What was that?" Hermione gasped as Harry helped her to her feet.  She checked the ingredients again and groaned.

"Harry, you didn't read this correctly."

"What do you mean?" he asked and came up behind her.

"There's a warning at the bottom that says the potion is quite volatile and may explode upon completion.  That's how you know it's done."

"So, we did it right didn't we?" Hermione glared at him slightly.

"You could've warned me the pot would blow up in my face."

"I'm sorry, but at least now, we can help your dad."

"Don't change the subject, next time you can have the potion blow up in your face!"

Harry wrapped his arms around her and hugged her gently.  Hermione felt her anger draining away at the regretful look in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Herm, I really am.  I promise that I'll double-check the ingredients if we ever do this again."

"All right, I'll forgive you," and she gave him a quick peck on the lips.

"What was that noise?" Melinda Granger asked as she raced into the kitchen.

"We're finished mom," Hermione stated and handed her mother a glass with a purplish-looking fluid in it.

"Here, have dad drink this, and he should feel better in about an hour."

The older woman took the glass, and her face scrunched up at the foul smell.

"If it smells this bad, it had better work."

Mrs. Granger headed into the living room where her husband was lying down on the couch.  She handed him the potion, and his face nearly turned green at the horrid smell.

"Please John, Hermione said this would help you."

"All right, it can't get much worse anyway."

He held his nose and downed the concoction in one gulp.

"Uh…that tasted worse than sewer water."

Despite the disgusting taste, the potion did its job, and an hour later, Mr. Granger was back on his feet.

"How are you feeling, dad?" Hermione asked that night after dinner.

"Much better, sweetie, thank you.  I'm not sure what you and Harry cooked up, but it worked like a charm."

"That reminds me, Hermione, this came in the mail today," her mother stated and handed her daughter a colorful flyer.

"Oh my goodness!"

"What's all the excitement about?" Harry asked as he walked in from the kitchen.

"Look!" Hermione gasped and nearly shoved the flyer into his face.

It read…

BRISTOL CIRCUS AND CARNIVAL COMING TO TOWN NEXT MONTH!

"See Harry, every two years, the carnival in Bristol comes to our town for a week or so, depending on how popular it is."

"And I take it, you love it," he said with a wide grin, noting his girlfriend's smiling face.

"Of course, I love it; it's a lot of fun."

"Hermione's loved the carnival ever since she was a small child," John Granger said with a warm smile, "In fact, I remember one time where she even got doused by an elephant because she didn't give him any peanuts."

Harry couldn't help and started laughing while Hermione blushed slightly.

"Dad, stop it, you're embarrassing me."

"Sweetie, we'd love to take you, but your father and I have to work this weekend," Melinda said with a regretful sigh.  

Her daughter's face fell.  They lived about seven or eight miles outside the main part of town where the carnival was going to take place.  She thought about flying there, but she wasn't the most accomplished witch on a broomstick.

"We can still go, Herm," Harry interrupted.

"Harry, it's over five miles to town; I'm not walking there and back."

"Who said anything about walking?" he asked with a wide grin.

"Oh, no you don't," Hermione stated firmly, "I'm not flying there."

"We don't have to fly; we can apparate."

"But I don't know how?"

"You don't have to; you just have to hang onto me."

"But won't people see you when you just appear out of nowhere?" Mrs. Granger asked worriedly.  Harry's grin only widened.

"No ma'am, that can be taken care of quite easily.  Right, Hermione?" he said, hoping she would understand.

"Of course!  Why didn't I think of it before?  Your invisibility cloak!"

"Exactly.  We can put it on before we leave, and nobody will notice us when we show up at the carnival."

Hermione lunged out of her chair and jumped into Harry's lap.

"Thank you, love, this means a lot to me."

"I don't mind, Herm, besides, I've never been to carnival before anyway.  So, if your parents don't mind, it's a date."

"Please mom?" Hermione sighed like a little child.  Melinda smiled at her daughter.

"Well, if Harry can do what he says he can do, then I don't see why not.  Just bring me back a souvenir."

"Thanks mom.  This is gonna be so great!"

Harry was trying hard not to laugh; he'd never seen Hermione so giddy.  He swore that if he hadn't been holding onto her, she'd be bouncing off the walls.  He could just imagine the bundle of energy she'd be at the carnival, but it was worth it to make her so happy.  After the hell they'd gone through the past year, they both deserved some serious R&R.

Hermione snuggled close to her lover's heart.  She should've known Harry would make everything better; he always did.  Now, the carnival would be twice as wonderful because she would be sharing it would the man she loved.

"This is interesting," her father cut in, "It looks like they added something new this year."

"What do you mean, John?" his wife asked.  He handed her the flyer.

"Look at the bottom of the add."

At the bottom of the colorful flyer, it read:

NEW ADDITION THIS YEAR – MEDIEVAL TOURNAMENT

COME SEE OUR KNIGHTS BATTLE IT OUT TO THE END

"Wow, that should be something to watch," Harry gasped.

"Yeah, I can just see a bunch of guys wearing tin cans and charging at each other with lances," Hermione laughed.  Harry decided to get into the act.

"Milady, would you care to accompany me to this prestigious tournament?" he asked, smiling at his lover.  She tried hard not to giggle.

"It would be a pleasure, kind sir." They both started laughing, and Mr. and Mrs. Granger soon joined them.


	5. Carnival

"Bye sweetie, have a good time all right!" Melinda Granger called as she and her husband climbed into their car.

"Thanks mom, we will." Hermione waved to her parents as they exited the driveway.

She closed the door, and a bright smile crossed her face.  It was going to be a great day!  She couldn't wait for the carnival, and better still, Harry was coming with her.

Hermione headed upstairs and heard the shower running in the bathroom.

'Hmm…' her brain began to churn with thoughts of Harry in there all alone – with nothing on.  It was too good to pass up, and besides, she needed a shower too.

With a sneakiness Ron would have been proud of, Hermione crept into the bathroom and closed the door quietly.  She locked the door and dropped her robe and nightgown on the floor.  Oh yes, it was going to be a very good day.

They slipped to the shower floor, quivering in each other's arms.  Harry slipped out of her body, and he kissed her forehead as she panted against his chest.

After several minutes, Hermione lifted her head and smiled, looking into his green eyes.  How did she ever do without him?  Giving him a gentle kiss, she embraced her lover, and Harry held her close, savoring their intimacy and trust.

"Sweetheart?" he whispered into her hair.

"Mmm," she murmured softly.

"The next time you want to play shower siren…warn me first, okay?"

Hermione giggled happily and snuggled deeper into his arms.

"I promise, Harry.  That was so amazing.  I have no idea what just happened."

"I don't know either.  I had no idea what a wild woman you could be!" he teased.  She just grinned and kissed him.

"And I had no idea what an animal you could be, love."

"By Merlin, I swear…I think you were born half genius…half vixen, Hermione!"

"Ooooooh, I take that as a compliment.  Am I really that good?" she asked.

Harry could see the joy his words had brought her.  He always made her feel like she was more than just books and knowledge; she was a beautiful, sensuous woman.

"Herm, you're the sexiest girl I know!"

"And you're the sexiest guy I know, Harry."

"Well then…I guess we're a match made in heaven aren't we?" he sighed and gave her a tender smile.  Her eyes glowed with her love for him.

"That we are, my darling hero, that we are."

Eventually, the pair made it out of the bathroom and dressed.  Harry grabbed his invisibility cloak out of his trunk and headed downstairs to meet Hermione.  She was waiting for him in the middle of the living room.

"Ready Herm?"

"Yup, I think I have everything."

Since it was quite warm out today, Hermione had decided to wear knee-length jean shorts and a yellow t-shirt.  Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail to keep herself cool, and she had on a pair of brown sandals along with a pair of black sunglasses.  Harry had on a pair of faded black jeans and a dark green t-shirt that matched his eyes almost perfectly.  Because they were going to be walking most of the day, he decided to wear gym shoes instead of leather or boat shoes.  Hermione had a windbreaker tied around her waist in case it got chilly later on, but then, she could always use Harry to keep warm too.

"Well then…shall we go?" She nodded at him emphatically.

Harry wrapped his left arm around and pulled her against him. His right hand tossed the cloak over them, and the two teenagers disappeared.

"All right…hang on."

A few seconds later, a small pop was heard, and they were gone.

Harry and Hermione apparated into a grove of trees and quickly checked their surroundings.  They were behind a pair of large tents just outside the main entrance.  Making sure they were alone, Harry pulled off the invisibility cloak, and they reappeared.  He neatly folded it back up and looked for a place to stash it.

"Harry…in here," Hermione advised, pointing to a large knot in one of the old, oak trees.

"Perfect!" He rolled up his cloak and tucked it safely inside the trunk.  It was down at least a foot so no one would see it if they walked by.

"Well then…shall we?" Harry asked extending his arm.  Hermione smiled and linked her arm in his.

The line wasn't that long, but the pair still had to wait about ten minutes to get in.  Finally arriving at the entrance, Harry reached into his pocket and handed the gatekeeper the necessary amount for admission, but he grabbed Hermione's hand when she tried to pay him.

"Oh no you don't, it's my treat!"

"But Harry?" He only smiled at her.

"No buts, Miss Granger."

The man stamped both of their hands to show that they'd paid, but Harry hadn't asked for normal admission.  After reading the sign, he'd paid for a special pass, which gave them free access to every ride or activity at the carnival.

"Harry, why didn't you let me pay?" Hermione asked once they were inside.

"Hey…like I said…it's my treat.  Besides, this is our first real date.  I wouldn't be much of a gentleman if I asked my girlfriend to pay."

"All right…just don't think I'll let you pay for everything.  I'm the one who suggested this anyway."

"Fine, now, let's stop arguing and start having fun."

Hermione led them into the main square.  The carnival was arranged around a large, central, circular arena.  Maybe it was going to be used for their medieval show later on?  There were four different paths leading out from it, and Hermione quickly grabbed a brochure, which listed the various booths and shows that were being offered this year.

"Ooooh, Harry, we have to go to this!" Hermione said happily.

"What is it?" She immediately pointed to the listing that read 'Exotic Herbs, Objects, and Perfumes For Sale.'

"Who knows…maybe we can find supplies for next year!"

"Always thinking ten steps ahead, aren't you?" he teased.

"Oh hush, besides we might find them cheaper than in Diagon Alley."

"That's true, I guess it wouldn't hurt.  What else is there?"

Harry skimmed through the list.  One read 'Venus Flytrap' another 'Catch the Hctins'.

"What's a hctins?" Hermione asked confused.  That was when Harry saw it.

"I don't believe it!"

"What?"

"Hermione…look…take hctins and spell it backwards."

"S-N-I-T-C-H.  No way, you don't think they're wizards here do you?"

"It wouldn't surprise me.  After all, we're here aren't we?  It would make sense I guess because at a carnival you can get away with weird things on display.

"That's true, but it's still hard to believe," Hermione gasped.

"Hmm, let's see what else there is." Harry continued down the list until his eyes bugged out. "Oh my gosh!" He quickly pointed to something near the bottom.

Hermione read 'Jokes Galore – If it can make you laugh, we've got it!'

"What's so strange about it, Harry?"

"Herm, take a look at who owns that booth."

She followed the line across the page, and her eyes widened at what she saw – Fred and George Weasley.

"They're crazy!  Mr. Weasley would kill them if he found out about this!"

"Come on, love, do you think they really care about that?" Harry asked.

"You've got a point.  Why don't we go see them?"

"You read my mind!"

"Comes with the package," she teased.  Harry's eyes narrowed, and for a moment, he looked at her with what could only be called 'bedroom eyes'.

"And such a gorgeous package it is," he laughed with a wide grin.  His hand reached down and squeezed her rear.

Hermione jumped in shock and blushed to the roots of her hair.  He chuckled lightly, and she covered her flaming cheeks.  She got him back however when she leaned and whispered in his ear.

"Be nice, and you'll get my package later tonight," she purred seductively.  Harry gulped and felt sweat form on his brow.  Damn, the things she could do to him.

"All right, sweetheart, how about a truce or else I'm not gonna make it through this day without a serious accident."

"Agreed, but that doesn't mean I'll stop flirting with you!" Harry pulled her close and buried his face in her hair.

"Hermione, your flirting I can handle, but I swear, the next time you purr in my ear like that, I'm gonna pull you onto the floor and love you till the sun goes down."

She giggled happily, knowing she'd gotten him back with some serious interest and backed away.

"Come on, let's go see the 'Terror Twins'!"

Harry took her offered hand, and they headed off down a side path to meet up with their old friends.


	6. Dunk Tank

"Hey Fred, what'd you do with the exploding flowers?" George Weasley asked his twin.

"Uh…I think they're next to the Smelly Sparklers."

"Ah ha…found them!"

The Weasley's booth lived up to its owners' reputation as it carried everything you could use to play a prank on someone.  There was a lull in their visitors right now so the twins were restocking their inventory for the next rush of customers.

"This was a great idea!" Fred said with a wide grin, "We're gonna make a killing today."

"Some things never change." The twins' heads snapped around at the voice interrupting them.

"Well, I'll be bowlegged spider…Harry!" George said happily.

Harry approached the booth with Hermione beside him.  The two Weasleys looked her up and down with their jaws hung open.

"Wow Harry…who's the cutie?" Fred asked.

"Ask her yourself," he answered.  Hermione took off her sunglasses, and the two, young men gaped at her.

"Hermione?" they both gasped.

"In the flesh.  How've you two been?"

"Just great.  We just about finished making all our stuff for our joke shop.  George and I thought it'd be cool if we tried some of our stuff out here to see if it would sell."

"What were the results?" Harry asked.  The two twins' smiles were completely smug.

"Astounding.  We've already sold close to half our stuff, and it's not even lunch time yet," George said wryly.

"How did you convince your father to let you come here?" Hermione said with a slight grin.  The twins groaned at the same time.

"We didn't tell him, but he found out anyway.  When that happened, the only way he let us come is if we agreed to a certain condition…"

"And that being?"

"…Ron had to come with to 'keep an eye on us'." Harry and Hermione looked at each other with bright smiles.

"Are you guys serious?" Harry said excitedly, "Ron's here too!"

"Yeah, we got him a job at one of the other booths so he stays out of our hair for most of the day," Fred said proudly.  Hermione could tell he was hiding something.

"Hold on a minute, you two, there's something wrong with this picture.  What exactly is Ron's job?" she asked coolly.

"Well…they didn't have many openings left by the time our dad found out so we just had to make due," George said defensively.

"Meaning?" Hermione prodded.  The twins wrapped their arms around each other's shoulders.

"We got him a job at the Dunk Tank!"

"The what?" Harry gawked.

"The Dunk Tank.  It's where someone sits on a platform while people throw a ball at a target.  If they hit the target, that person is dropped into a tank of water," George explained.

"How could you?" Hermione gasped, trying hard not to laugh, "He's your brother!"

"Exactly.  It's our job to torture him!" Fred said proudly.

Harry looked at his girlfriend while trying to keep a straight face himself.  Her lips were quivering, and finally, they both started laughing.  It was just too funny.  They could just imagine Ron sitting there with a nervous expression on his face, hoping that everyone would miss the target.  They laughed so hard their sides began to hurt, and Fred and George began laughing right along with them.

"Oh, this I have to see!" Harry quipped as he clutched his sides. "Where's the booth at anyway?"

"Sadly, it's on the other side of the grounds so we can't dunk him," Fred groaned.

Hermione grinned widely, and Harry caught on to what she was thinking.

"You can't, but we can!" she giggled.

The twins grinned evilly and showed Hermione where the Dunk Tank was on the map.

"Well Hermione…shall we go pay him a visit?" Harry asked with a crooked smile.

"Absolutely." She took his hand and prepared to leave.

They both said goodbye to the Weasley twins and headed in the opposite direction, heading straight towards the area the guys had shown.

"Hey Herm?"

"Yes?"

"How 'bout I flip you to see who gets to dunk him first?" Harry laughed.  She nudged him in the ribs.

"Oh hush you, let's just find the place."

It took about twenty minutes, but Harry finally picked out the sign over the crowd.  Since he was about a head taller than Hermione, it was easier for him to see.

"There it is," he said pointing to an open area ahead on the left.

A large, round, transparent tank was set up, and a tiny seat was suspended above it.  There was a plastic shield in front of the seat to make sure that nobody decided to pelt the occupant instead of the target.  Next to it was a vertical sheet of yellow plastic with a large red button in the center of it.  It was only about five inches in diameter so it wasn't that easy to hit.

"Would you look at that?" Harry laughed.

He pointed to the person trying to sit down on the precarious perch, and Hermione started giggling.  She'd know that head of red hair anywhere!  Sure enough, it was Ron.  His hair was about half-dry so it looked like he hadn't been dunked for a while.

Harry noticed that the line wasn't very long.  Since it was just about lunchtime, most people had headed towards the food court located in the rear of the carnival grounds.  He and Hermione showed their hands to the owner so they didn't have to pay any extra admission and went to stand in line.  They kept their heads down so Ron didn't see them.

More than ten people went through, but not one of them could hit the target.  One shot came within a half an inch, but Ron remained in place.

"Ha…ha…ha…you throw like a girl!" he laughed at the guy who'd just missed three straight times.

"He's gonna get it!" a female voice said just ahead of Harry.

"Wait a minute…" Hermione gasped, "…I know that voice." She stepped in front of Harry and poked the girl on the shoulder.  She immediately turned around.

"Lavender!" Hermione said happily, "What are you doing here?" She gave her roommate a hug.

"Hermione, it's great to see you, and I see you brought Harry too," she answered with a smiled. 

"When Ron told me about coming here, I just couldn't resist.  Carnivals are so much and besides…" her smile turned into a sly grin, "…I get to dunk my boyfriend!"

"He looks pretty dry though," Harry interjected.

"He won't be for long," Lavender teased.

"So how did Ron react when he found out what his job was?" Hermione chuckled.

"He was ready to kill his brothers, but after chasing them around for half an hour, he gave in and came down here.  I also told him that I'd come with him to cheer him up; Ron's not to big on being embarrassed – as I'm sure you know quite well."

"True, but that just makes it all the more fun," Harry said with a wide grin.  Lavender grinned right back at him.

"Why do you think that I'm standing in line?"

After about another five minutes, the trio finally made it to the head of the line.  Ron was still high and dry, and he had quite a smug look on his face.

"What a bunch of wimps?  My little sister could throw better than you!"

"Why don't we ask her later on?" a familiar voice countered.  His eyes shot open when he saw who was standing in front of the target.

"Lavender!  What are you doing?  You promised you wouldn't dunk me!" She merely tossed one of the balls up and down in her hand.

"I merely promised I wouldn't be the first one to dunk you.  That's already been done so you're all mine, Weasley!" she said with an evil smile curling on her lips.

"So long, buddy, I wish you well!" Harry laughed as he popped up behind her.  Ron's eyes nearly exploded out their sockets.

"Harry!  What are you doing here?"

"I'm with her!" he answered, and Hermione appeared by his side.  Ron almost wet his pants.  They were all here!

"Herm, you're here too.  How did you find me?"

"Your brothers told us about your 'job', Ron, and we just had to come see you," Harry laughed.  His friend growled angrily; his siblings were going to pay for this.

"All right, miss, it's your turn," the attendant told Lavender.

She stood behind a line about ten feet from the target, and the attendant handed her three baseballs.  Ron was sitting on his hands, and he gulped as she threw the first ball.

It was a miss, and he breathed a sigh of relief.  However, Harry could have sworn that she'd hit the red button.  Lavender threw her second ball, and it nicked the target, but Ron still did not drop.  She was just about to throw her last one when Harry stopped her.

"Hold it a second, Lavender!"

"What is it?" she inquired.  Harry smiled evilly and locked eyes with Ron; he knew what was going on.

"Just a second…" Harry muttered something under his breath. "Now, do it."

Lavender took aim and tossed the ball.  It hit dead center, and Ron dropped like a rock.  Water splashed out of the tank as the angry, young man sprung to the surface.  He saw his girlfriend laughing hysterically, and his two, best friends grinning at him widely.

"That'll teach him to cheat," Harry laughed.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"Herm, Ron's not stupid.  Some people were hitting the target, but he never fell.  Ron put a levitation spell on the platform so he wouldn't fall."

Lavender immediately spun around.

"He did what!" she growled, "I'm gonna kill him!"

"Don't worry, Lavender, I think he's learned his lesson.  I dispersed his spell so it won't work anymore.  From now on, he'll just have to play the odds."

"Still, that is rather unfair," Lavender groaned, "I could've dunked him three times."

"Why don't you let us take over?  Hermione?" His girlfriend grinned widely and stepped up to the line.

Hermione took her turn, but she only hit the target once, however Ron still got drenched once again.  Now, it was Harry's turn.

"Potter, you get me wet, and I'll kill you!" he growled.

"Yeah right, Ron, you and what army."

Harry threw his first ball and sent Ron into the tank.  The young man groaned and climbed back onto the platform.  The next ball came and down he went again.  Ron was getting irritated, but Harry just ignored him.

Off to the side, Lavender stood with a wide smile on her face as she talked to Hermione.

"Do you think Harry's spanking him a little too harshly?" Hermione asked.

"Not at all, Ron would do the same thing if their roles were reversed, and he knows it.  Besides, his shift only lasts for another hour or so, and then he can dry off.  After that, the rest of the day is ours.  I thought we'd go see that new Medieval Tournament they advertised; it sounds like fun."

"Yeah, Harry and I were thinking of doing the same thing."

"Well then…shall we double date?" Lavender teased.

"Sure…as long as the boys behave themselves," Hermione laughed.

"I think we can handle them.  Ron may have a temper, but he's a big puppy dog underneath."

"Harry's different though cause he always acts sweet and gentle, but he can be as wild as anybody.  I know that for a fact," she said with a wicked smile.

Lavender gawked at her friend.

"Why Hermione?  Did you two do something that I should know about?" 

Her roommate let her eyes move up and down Harry's body, and she licked her lips.

"You better take it easy, girl, you look ready to eat him alive!" Lavender chuckled.

"Nah, I'll be okay.  We had a morning romp in the shower anyway," she said calmly.

"Hermione!" Lavender gasped, "I've never heard you talk like that."

"I can't help it if I want him," she sighed and winked at her friend.

"Jeez, I'd never think you two were doing anything other than snogging.  I mean, Ron and I have come close a couple of times, but we stopped before it got heated."

"I have a feeling that Ron's taking your relationship very seriously, Lavender.  He cares about you a great deal.  Who knows, he may even be in love with you?  All I know is that Harry and I…we just knew that we wanted each other.  There wasn't any doubt in either of our minds."

"Yeah, I guess when you love Harry Potter, it's all or nothing," Lavender stated.

"It's not just that.  I love Harry just for being him – not because he's famous.  He once told me that I was only girl who cared about 'him' and not his reputation.  That's why he felt so close to me.  It was one of the reasons we fell in love."

"You two are lucky, Herm, you're both with your soul mate, and that's something that most people will never experience."

The two girls smiled at one another and watched as Harry sunk Ron for a third time then headed over to meet them.

"What have two been up to?"

"Just girl talk," Lavender answered.  Harry instinctively slid his arm around Hermione's waist, and she leaned against him.

"I'm hungry," Hermione groaned and gazed up into her lover's face.

"Then let's grab some lunch.  Do you wanna come Lavender?" Harry asked.

"Nah, don't worry about me.  I'll stay here and keep an eye on Ron.  How about we meet you guys in the main square later this afternoon?"

"Sure, then we can have some time together before the tournament starts," Hermione stated.

"All right, see you two this afternoon," Lavender waved and headed back towards Ron.

"Harry?" Hermione cooed softly.

"Yes sweetheart?" His eyes locked with hers, and the world fell away.

"I love you."

"And I you, my dear Hermione," and he bent down towards her.  His kiss was long and sweet, and she leaned on him for support.

After a few tender moments, Harry unwound his arms and led her back towards the central arena so they could get something to eat.


	7. Prizes

As the happy couple made their way towards the food court, Harry's sharp eyes picked up a familiar sign, and he stopped walking.

"What is it?" Hermione asked looking in the direction of his eyes.

Off to the side was a booth whose sign read 'Catch the hctins…if you can!'

Turning her head, she saw her lover with a wide grin and guessed what he was thinking.

"You want to try it don't you?" she giggled.

"Course I do, but you said you were hungry." His girlfriend shook her head.

"It can wait, love, come on," and she pulled him towards the booth. "You can win me a prize while you're at it!"

Despite the time, there was still a fairly large crowd in front of the booth as they watched person after person trying to catch the elusive hctins.  One man made a grab for it, but it streaked away at the last second.

"This is impossible!  It has to be rigged!" he screamed.

"Not at all, you're just not fast enough to catch it," the owner laughed.

Harry and Hermione watched twenty people go ahead of them, but none could catch up to the buzzing gold ball.  Then, it was Harry's turn, and the middle-aged owner greeted him.

"How do you do, young man?  Care to try your luck?  No one's managed to catch it all day, but if you do, you can choose any prize you want." The man pointed to the array of large stuffed animals and other trinkets in the rear of the booth.

"Oh Harry, I want one!" Hermione said giddily.  The owner chuckled.

"Sounds like your lady is giving you some incentive young man."

"She has habit of doing that," Harry replied.

He stepped up to the front of the booth.  The 'snitch' was buzzing around in a small cubicle area about four feet wide.  It wasn't nearly as big as a quidditch field, but its speed still gave it quite an advantage.

"All right, young man, you get three chances to catch the hctins.  Good luck…you're bloody well gonna need it!"

A grin crossed Harry's face, and he stared the man straight in the eye.

"Hmm…hctins eh?  Don't you mean 'snitch'?" he asked, and the man's eyes widened.

'Gotcha!' Harry thought.

The owner couldn't refuse his admittance without a reason or without exposing himself so he allowed the young wizard a turn.  Even for someone who had magical powers, catching a snitch was a very difficult task.

Harry watched the familiar gold ball buzz around in the air, and it brought back wonderful memories of playing quidditch and flying on his broomstick.  He focused his eyes and began following the elusive snitch.

It flew around at lightning speed, and Harry just missed with his first attempt.  He waited another minute before trying a second time, but again, he missed the snitch.  However, the two failed attempts allowed him to see how the snitch reacted to movement and enabled him to predict what it would do.

"Just one more try, my boy, that's all you have left."

'C'mon Harry, you can do it,' Hermione silently encouraged.

Narrowing his eyes, Harry readied himself.  His hand shot out sharply and quickly snapped shut.

"I'm sorry, son, perhaps next time you'll have better luck," the owner laughed heartily.  Harry turned towards him with a smirk on his lips.

"I believe this is yours."

Upon opening his hand, Harry heard several gasps as the golden snitch appeared in his hand.  Hermione was smiling brightly, and the owner was completely speechless.

"My goodness, I guess I misjudged you.  As I promised, you may anything you want."

"Hermione?" Harry asked.  She looked around at the various stuffed animals – many of which were life-size.

"That one!" she said happily.

Harry chuckled as the owner handed her a giant stuffed lion – complete with a dark brown mane.

"You have exceptional skill, young man, well done." The owner nodded at Harry, and he returned the nod as an understanding took place between them.

Hermione's face was glowing as she hugged the stuffed lion.  Harry shook his head in comical fashion as they walked on.

"I should've known you'd pick the giant cat!" he laughed.

"Why do you say that?" she asked.

"Well…let me think…" Harry cocked his eyebrows at her, "…maybe because you have a giant, pet cat or maybe because your house symbol happens to be a lion."

"That could be true, but I wasn't thinking of those.  I just thought he was cute!" Hermione giggled.  Harry stepped closer to her and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"I forget to mention the third reason."

"And that being?" He bent down to nuzzle her right ear.

"Anybody ever tell you that you purr in your sleep, Herm?"

"Hey!" she gasped, "I most certainly do not!"

"Yes, you do," Harry teased and pulled her closer, "You make the cutest little purring noises in your sleep.  It sounds like a happy kitten who's just had a saucer of cream."

Hermione would've slugged him if her arms weren't full.

"Hmmph, just for that, you can carry this for me for the rest of the day."

She shoved the lion into Harry's free arm and stormed off, but his arm around her waist wouldn't release her.

"Let me go!"

"Not in this lifetime, sweetheart, you should know that I won't ever let you get away."

Hermione's eyes softened, and a faint blush stained her cheeks.

"I do know that, Harry, but you can be such a pain sometimes," she groaned.

"I merely tell the truth, Herm, nothing less.  And besides, I like hearing you purr; it lets me know that you're happy."

Hermione leaned into his chest and giggled.  A long, sexy purr rolled its way up her throat, and Harry gulped inaudibly.  She'd gotten him back.

"Save that for later, my love," he whispered into her ear.

"I plan to," she cooed at him.

The couple heartily enjoyed themselves throughout the day.  Hermione took him to virtually every ride in the carnival – including the Ferris wheel, the tunnel of love (which they steamed up quite nicely), and even the merry-go-round.

Throughout the day, the central area of the carnival was built and constructed for the upcoming tournament.  Long, wooden tables were placed around the outside of the ring, medieval banners were hung around the arena, and even a makeshift platform with two thrones was erected on the far side.  It looked exactly like a jousting arena.

Late that afternoon, Harry and Hermione met up with Lavender and Ron.

"Well…you finally dried off…eh, Ron?" Harry chuckled.

"Shut your trap!" his best friend said with a slight glare.

"He's fine," Lavender giggled and clutched Ron's hand.

"I wonder what the tournament's going to be like," Hermione said giddily.

"Let's go find out," Harry offered.  The others heartily agreed with him.

By now, the sun was getting low in the western sky as the four friends approached the large, central arena.  There was a long line ahead of them, but they didn't really mind as it gave them a chance to talk.

"So Harry, how's it been staying with Herm's parents?" Ron asked.

"Just great.  They're wonderful people."

"And they absolutely love him," Hermione added and leaned against him.

Before they knew it, an hour had passed by, and they were finally at the head of the line.

Just as Harry and Hermione stepped through, a loud ringing went off, and suddenly, several attendants surrounded them.

"Is there a problem?" Harry asked.

"Congratulations, you are the hundredth person to enter our arena this evening.  As such, you and one other shall be given parts in our performance tonight."

"What!" the young wizard gawked.

"So, who do wish to accompany you?" the attendant asked.  Harry didn't even need to think.

"Hermione?" His girlfriend's eyes lit up.

"Me?  You want me?"

"Of course, whom else would I pick?" he laughed.

"Excellent, now, would you both please follow me."

Harry just shrugged his shoulders at Ron as he and Hermione followed the man toward one of the large tents set up alongside the main ring.  This was turning into a very interesting evening.


	8. Preparation

"Now, young man, if you would please step inside here," the attendant stated and pointed at the first tent, "And miss, please come with me."

"See ya later, Harry," Hermione laughed.

He just grinned and headed inside the large tent.

Once inside, he saw several men who were dressed as medieval knights.  Harry felt a bit overwhelmed until one of them approached him.

"Ah, so you must the winner for this evening."

"Yes sir, I guess so."

"You don't have 'sir' me, young man, just call me Marcus.  The others are Lawrence, Justin, and Thomas."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Harry."

"Same to you, Harry, now let's see if we can get you suited up for tonight."

Over the next half-hour, the young wizard was fitted with quite an ensemble.  His entire body was dawned in chain armor, and a large, red pullover went down to his ankles.  He was wearing leather boots, and each of his forearms was garbed with a silver gauntlet.  What Harry found quite amusing was that a lion's head was engraved in gold dust on the front of his armor.  A leather belt was tied around his waist, and he ran a hand through his messy hair.

"Well…I'd have to say you look pretty good," Marcus said with a smile.

"Is it too heavy?" Thomas asked, noting that Harry was swinging his arms back and forth.

"No, I'm fine, just nervous I guess; I've never done anything like this."

"Just relax, it's quite fun once you get into it," Marcus laughed, "Which reminds me…"

The older man walked over to a large wooden cabinet and threw open the doors.  Harry gasped at the contents.  Inside had to be some of the most wonderfully crafted swords that he'd ever seen.

"We can't forget your sword.  No knight is complete without his sword.  Now, why don't you pick one?"

"They all look incredible!" Harry gasped as he walked over.

His eyes scanned through the rows of weapons until they happened upon a pair of short swords.  A normal sword was several feet long, but these were only about eighteen inches in length.  Their steel blades gleamed from the torchlights inside the tent, and it reflected into Harry's eyes.

"I'd like either of those please."

"Ah, you've chosen well," Justin quipped. "Those blades are not separate; they are meant to be used together."

Marcus lifted out the pair of swords and slid them into their matching leather sheaths.  He handed them to Harry, and the young wizard slid one onto either side of his belt.

"Be careful, Harry, those blades are quite sharp, and you can be hurt."

"Marcus is right.  You won't actually be fighting; that's our job.  We just add you to make the audience feel more involved."

"But I know how to use a sword," Harry interrupted.  The four men gawked at him.

"You do?" Lawrence asked quite astonished.

"Yes, my godfather taught me how to use one."

To prove his point, Harry drew out the sword from his left side and twirled it around in his hand.  He then weaved it back and forth at almost lightning speed; needless to say, his companions were quite impressed.

"Not bad, Harry, you do know what you're doing," Marcus laughed, "Perhaps, this time, we won't have to do all the work ourselves."

"If you don't mind my asking, what is Hermione's part?"

"Hermione?"

"My girlfriend, she's the other one who was picked." The men started chuckling.

"Then tonight is really going to be interesting.  She's playing a princess who is captured by an evil warlord, and it's our job to rescue her.  Actually, more like your job."

Harry had to fight the grin that wanted to spring up on his face.

"I see, so I get to play the hero and rescue the 'damsel in distress'?" he chuckled.

"Basically, but we have to fight our way through the guards first.  Of course, each of us wear padding so we don't get seriously injured, but usually, we're the only ones who do any fighting."

"But that's not fair; I should help you."

"Well Harry, most of the time, we get stuck with idiots who don't know squat about swords or fighting – least of all how to use or act with them."

"Then that's going to change because I don't want to be someone who just stands by and does nothing."

"I admire your spunk, Harry, I don't see why we couldn't make an exception this time," Marcus said with a wide grin.

The older man left the tent to inform the director of the slight change in plans for the night, but he explicitly stated not to tell Hermione about Harry's role.  Once things were in order, it was time to begin.

Hermione's palms were sweating as a gray-haired woman combed her hair.

"Relax dear, you're much too nervous."

"I'm sorry, it's just that I've never done something like this before."

"That's quite all right; I've seen many people with the exact same face as you have right now.  Don't worry about it; just follow your instructions and everything will be fine."

"I can't believe I'm playing a princess."

Hermione giggled as she looked at herself in the mirror.  She felt like she was in a fairytale – playing the role of a princess.  She was dressed in a long, maroon ball gown.  It had several layers of ruffles underneath it along with a petticoat to give it shape.  The gown hugged her slim waist, and it covered her arms all the way up but left her shoulders bare.  It enhanced her bust to the point of making her look enticing but not grotesque or immoral.  She could just imagine Harry's reaction to seeing her like this.

"I really must thank you for this lovely dress."

"Don't mention, my dear, it's my job to make sure that you're 'in character' for the performance.  Now then, do you remember what I told you to do?"

"I think so; it doesn't seem to hard."

"It really isn't.  You really don't have to do much until your 'prince' shows up anyway."

"So that's the idea?  The old 'rescue the princess' routine?"

"Essentially, but with a bit more flare than normal.  You'll see what I mean.  As actors, we always try to exaggerate – makes for a more dramatic performance."

"I'm sure it does; I can't wait to see what Harry's doing," Hermione said with a bright smile.

"Harry?  Oh, the young man who was with you?  Why…he's playing the part of the prince…who else?"

"Really?"

"Of course, we wouldn't ask you to kiss a complete stranger," the older woman chuckled.

"I have to kiss him!" Hermione gasped.

"Yes, if that's a problem…"

"No, not all!  He's my boyfriend; we do it all the time," she replied with a slight blush.

"Good.  Now then, let's head out to the stage; the performance will be starting shortly."

Hermione followed the woman out, but she couldn't help it as her palms began to sweat again.  However, knowing that Harry was going to play her prince charming made her nervousness drain away.  She planned on making their kiss one he would never forget.


	9. Performance

"I wonder what Harry and Hermione are going to be playing," Ron inquired as he and Lavender took their seats.

They were inside an enormous tent – erected to protect everyone in case it decided to rain.  The seating was arranged around the massive circular ring, however, the entire area was encased in a velvet curtain so you couldn't see what was inside.

"I'm not sure, but it looks like we're about to find out," she answered.

A middle-aged man walked out from behind the curtain and raised his hands to silence the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to our featured event for the evening.  I would like to thank you all for attending tonight, and I hope you enjoy it.  Now, on with the show!"

The velvet curtain was slowly drawn back, and the audience gasped at the illustrious setup.  It looked exactly like the inside of a medieval castle – stone walls, torches hanging by metal hinges, and shields and swords displayed on the walls.  On the far side, there was an elevated platform with two thrones.

"In here, lads, his Excellency is waiting for her."

From an erected entrance on the far side of the ring, a man emerged in full armor and carrying a helmet under his left arm.  He was followed out a moment later by four other men (also in armor), and two of them were half-walking half-dragging a young woman along with them.

"It's Hermione!" Ron gasped, and Lavender nudged him to shut him up.

It was indeed Hermione.  She was being pulled along by the two men, and her hands were bound behind her back.

"Release me at once!" she shouted, remembering the lines that she'd been told to recite.

"I'm afraid we cannot do that, princess; our master would be most perturbed if you did not see him."

The men continued dragging Hermione until they were directly in front of the stand where the two thrones stood.

"His Excellency, Lord Narune."

From a maroon curtain behind the thrones, a young man emerged.  He was also wearing mail armor, and a silver dragon was engraved on his chest plate.

"Vik-" Hermione immediately shut her mouth; she couldn't say his real name.  The man who stood before was none other than Viktor Krum.

"Ah, Lady Hermione, so nice to see you; you look lovely as ever," he said eloquently.

"I order you to release me at once," she spat out, thanking her study habits for quick memorization and recollection.

"You are in no position to give me orders, princess.  Do you still defy me?"

"Yes!" Narune's face formed into an evil grin.

"Why not marry me?  There are many women who would gladly take your place."

"I belong to another, milord," Hermione answered defiantly.

"I have heard of the prince who apparently won your hand.  But he is nowhere to seen is he?" Narune laughed.

"Wow, Hermione is playing this for all it's worth," Ron gasped.

"Yes, but I wonder where Harry is supposed to be."

Lavender's question was about to be answered.

From within the same entrance that Hermione had been brought, several other soldiers came scurrying out like scared rats.

"My lord, intruders!"

"Who dares to violate my castle!"

Another guard came flying threw the doorway and landed head over heels.

"Narune!" a familiar voice thundered.  Hermione spun around, and her face lit up.

The curtains parted, and Harry emerged – flanked on each side by Lawrence, Marcus, Justin, and Thomas.

"Harry!" Hermione cried happily.  She loved how he looked in his armor.  He'd never worn any before in his life, but she thought it suited him wonderfully.

"Unhand the princess, you fiend!" Marcus shouted.

"I don't answer to third-rate knights like you!" Narune hissed menacingly.

"Guards!"

At their master's command, fifteen guards emerged from all sides of the arena and surrounded Harry and the others.

"You coward, can you not fight your own battles?" Thomas growled.

"I will not soil my hands with such insects."

Hermione almost thought she saw Harry smirk.  The young wizard's arms crisscrossed, and he drew out his twin blades.

'Wait a minute, don't tell me he's actually going to fight with those!' she gasped silently.

Each of the other knights drew their swords and raised their shields.  Narune's smile only widened.

"Destroy them!"

The guards swarmed onto Harry and the others, and the fray began.

You could hear cheers from the audience as the battle raged.  It truly looked like a real fight scene.

"Hey Ron, I didn't know Harry could use a sword."

"I know, neither did I but look at him go!"

Harry parried a strike with the sword in his right hand then swung the fat side of his blade directly underneath his assailant's waist – sweeping his legs out from under him.

Marcus and the others watched him with silent fascination; this young man was full of surprises.  Harry had to remind himself several times not to hit the guards too hard, or they might get hurt for real.  No, he just gave them a 'very' firm tap.

Within minutes, all fifteen of Narune's guards lay motionless on the ground.

"Is that all you've got?" Lawrence taunted.

"Give me the princess," Narune ordered. "Now, kill them all."

The four soldiers who had been watching Hermione suddenly looked very nervous and very afraid.

"I warn you," Harry growled, and his eyes narrowed dangerously, "Move aside, and you will not be harmed, but if you stand in my way, I will be forced to make you move."

The guards saw the four knights surround Harry, and their knees began to tremble.  Dropping their weapons, they scurried off the stage like a pack of frightened rats.  Harry's eyes then turned towards the man who was holding Hermione.

"Let her go!" he growled, his voice dangerously low.

"She doesn't want you; she wants to be with me."

Hermione was spun around, and she suddenly found herself directly into Victor's eyes.  She could see the depth they held, but they could never make her tremble the way Harry's emerald pools could.  Shoving herself out of her captor's arms, Hermione squared her shoulders and looked at the man who she had once thought was the man of her dreams.

"I don't want you, Narune; I'm in love with Harry and only Harry!" She said the words so compellingly that it made the audience think that it wasn't just an act she was performing, but her lover knew how much she meant it.

"Very well then…" Narune hissed and drew out his sword, "…if I cannot have you, then no one shall!" 

He raised the blade and aimed at Hermione's chest.  The young woman backed away slowly, trying to escape her would-be killer.

"Now die!"

A split second later, Narune found a short sword whizzing by not an inch in front of his face.  It embedded itself into the far wall, and he turned towards his attacker.

"You're not touching her you filthy piece of scum!" Harry shouted and ran towards him.

"Hermione!"

When she saw him open his arms, she knew what he wanted.  Hermione jumped off the platform and landed right in the middle of his embrace.  He clutched her to his chest, and she buried her face in the crook of his neck.

"Are you all right, milady?" Harry asked, gazing down at her with warm eyes.

"Yes, my darling, I'm fine – now that you're here."

"Sorry to spoil the warm reunion, but neither of you is going to leave here alive," Narune stated and walked down the steps.  Harry put Hermione down and turned back to face his enemy.

"Let's finish this fight!" Harry growled and raised his other sword.

The two advanced on one another, and everyone could hear the clang as their swords met.  Moving at a blinding pace, the two traded blows back and forth – neither giving an inch.

"Wow, look at those two go at it!" a member of the audience shouted.

"This is incredible!  I've never seen anything like it," another stated.

"Man, Harry and Viktor are really going at it; you'd think they were playing for real or something," Ron laughed.

"Maybe they are," Lavender answered.  That did not make the young Weasley happy.

"Quite impressive," Narune growled.  Harry just remained silent. "However, this fight is now over."

Suddenly, Harry could sense magic in the air.  He rolled out of the way just as the ground exploded underneath him.

"What in bloody hell was that?"

"I have no idea."

"Was that supposed to happen?"

"Oh no, the rumors were true," Marcus said fearfully.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, trying to seem as if she didn't already know.

"Princess, Lord Narune…is a sorcerer," Lawrence clarified.

Hermione had to stop herself from grinning; they didn't know who Harry really was.

"Quick on your feet, I see," Narune laughed as Harry dusted himself off.

The young man couldn't believe that Viktor was using magic in front of muggles, but when he saw the expressions on the spectators' faces, he finally understood.  They were enjoying themselves; they wanted to see more.  Viktor was just trying to make the drama more colorful.

'All right, if that's the way he wants to play…' His mind began to plan his attack.

"Cat got your tongue, your highness, I thought you would have something clever to say at a time like this!"

Harry stood to his full height and extended his right hand.

"Accio sword," he whispered under his breath.  At his command, his sword was yanked out of the wall and came to his hand.

"It ends here!" Harry hissed and narrowed his eyes.

Hermione watched the two face off and waited anxiously.  They had to be careful about what magic they used; there was only so much you could explain.

The two men once again met sword against sword, but this time Harry had his second blade, and he used it to press his advantage.  He forced Narune back onto his heels then swept his legs out from under him.

"Yield!" Harry ordered.

"Never!" Narune quickly sprung to his feet, and their fight resumed.

Once again, the two traded blow after blow.  Neither one seemed to gain any advantage.  Narune brought down his sword in an overhead strike, and Harry crossed his blades to block him.  The two men grunted as they pushed up against one another, glaring menacingly at their opponent.

"Enough of this!"

Narune shoved Harry back and smirked.

"Exploda!"

Harry was thrown into the air and landed no less than fifteen feet away.  Hermione wanted to rush to his side, but Marcus held her back.

"No milady, you mustn't; his highness would be most upset if you were injured."

'Yes, but I'll be upset if he gets injured,' she replied silently.

Harry slowly got to his feet to hear Narune laughing sadistically.

"And to think you believed yourself worthy of Lady Hermione – how pathetic."

Raising his hand, he prepared to finish Harry off, but the young man was waiting for him.  Lifting up his blades, his whispered a spell almost silently and grinned when he saw the swords glint slightly; now, he was ready.  All he needed was for his opponent to cast one more spell.

"Die boy, Tornados."

The cyclone of wind blew toward Harry, and he waited for it.  Quickly rising to his feet, he crisscrossed his swords in front of him.  The spell hit the blades and bounced backwards, heading directly for Narune.

"Noooooooo!!!" The blast sent him flying backwards, and he slammed into the side of the platform, proceeding to fall flat on his back.

Harry raced over before he could recover and stood over the man with his blades aimed directly at his chest.  Hermione watched the exchange with wide eyes and finally understood Harry's actions.  He'd deliberately let himself get hit; then when Narune had gone to finish him off, he'd cast a mirror or reflection spell on his swords, which sent the cyclone back to its source, taking Narune completely by surprise.

"Yield Narune, or die where you are!"

"I will never yield to the likes of you!" he spat back.

"Then so be it!"

"Harry no!" Hermione cried, but it was too late.

Narune opened his eyes to find that he was still alive – although in a great deal of pain.  Harry's swords were imbedded in each of his shoulders, impaling him to the ground (in reality they were not more than inch under his arm driven straight into the ground).

"No, even if you deserve it, I will not kill a helpless human being – even one as pitiful as you, Lord Narune.  I want you to live with the shame knowing that you lost to man who is your better.  Know that you shall never have Lady Hermione as long as I draw breath.  You are a disgrace to your title, and your men have abandoned you.  Live with the shame of knowing what your greed has cost you."

Harry stepped back, leaving his opponent to lapse into unconscious.  He took several deep breaths, and his eyes flashed towards the audience.  They were on the edge of their seats, and several had shocked expressions on their faces as seeing what he'd done (or more likely…what he hadn't done).

"Harry!"

He turned to see Hermione racing towards him.  She launched herself into his arms, and he wrapped his strong arms around her.

"Are you all right, my angel?" he asked and combed his fingers through her brown curls.

"I'm fine, my hero."

Harry's arms tightened around her, and he drew her close.  Hermione framed his face in her small hands, and he leaned down towards her.

"I love you," she sighed and closed her eyes.

"As I love you," and their lips touched.

The audience gave them a thunderous ovation, but the lovers were oblivious to everything but each other.  Hermione was busy stroking the back of his mouth with her tongue, while Harry was preoccupied with drinking in her delectable sweetness.  You could hear catcalls and whistles coming from the crowd; one of who belonged to Ron Weasley.

The curtain drew closed with the duo still locked in each other's arms.

Five minutes later, Harry finally let Hermione's mouth go, and he took a much-needed breath.  They were both flushed, and their hearts were pounding rapidly.  She nuzzled her face against his neck, and he tangled his fingers in her hair.

"Ahem!" They turned as Marcus cleared his throat.

"Sorry if we got a little carried away," Hermione admitted, blushing slightly.  The four men actually started laughing.

"Not at all, it was quite 'entertaining'," Lawrence quipped with a wide grin.

"You two did wonderfully; you'd almost think you'd been doing this every night," Thomas complimented.

"Thanks, we'd hoped we wouldn't mess up the whole performance," Harry admitted.

"Of course not, we haven't a show this successful in a long time," Justin answered with a smile.

"He's quite right, Harry Potter," a voice said from behind them.

Both Harry and Hermione turned to see Viktor Krum approaching them.

"Viktor, it's good to see you again," Harry stated, trying to hide the strain in his voice.  Despite his 'reputation', he always felt rather outclassed in the young man's presence.

"Vell, I must commend you both.  I see you've grown even lovelier, Hermione," he sighed happily.

She blushed at his compliment, and Harry felt his gut tighten.  Viktor always knew what to say to charm people's socks off.  To his great surprise however, Hermione leaned her head onto his chest and hugged him.

"Thank you, Harry often reminds me of that," she giggled.  Her lover suddenly felt much more relaxed, and he looked down at her.

"As I should, sweetheart, you get more beautiful everyday," he cooed softly.  She batted her long lashes at him, and her eyes twinkled.  They told him that she would reward him quite handsomely for that compliment.

Viktor was taken by surprise at the intimacy the two shared.  It was incredible how they could tune out everything around them except each other, and he suddenly felt very envious of Harry Potter.

"Well then, I believe that we all should get changed now.  I'm sure that Harry and Hermione have friends and family waiting for them."

The pair looked at one another.  They'd almost completely forgotten about Ron and Lavender!  Quickly separating, they returned to their dressing rooms to change back into their street clothes.

Marcus and Viktor remained behind the others.

"I didn't know you knew those two," Marcus prodded.

"Yes, I met them back during my fifth year of schooling.  I was quite interested in Hermione back then, and although she was quite flattered by my advances, I could tell that her thoughts and her heart always belonged to her best friend, Harry Potter."

"I'm sorry, sounds like you were fighting for a lost cause."

"That I was, my friend, that I was," and the two men started laughing.

Harry removed his armor and carefully handed it to Lawrence to be put away.  He hadn't worn it that long, but he'd become quite attached to the ensemble.  Pulling on his black jeans, he looped his t-shirt over his head, and it dropped around his waist.  Running his hand through his hair, he thanked each of his fellow actors for a wonderful evening before departing outside to wait for Hermione.

Hermione slipped out of her dress with the old woman's help, and she washed the excess makeup off her face.  With a resounding sigh, she quickly put on her street clothes and looked herself in the mirror.

'Hmmph, I guess being a princess can't last forever,' she said silently.  She turned towards the elder woman who had helped her.

"Thank you, ma'am, I had a wonderful time."

"Not a all, my dear, I was happy to help; you did a wonderful job – not to mention that boyfriend of yours."

"Yes, he is pretty amazing," she giggled.  The old woman's face crinkled as she smiled.

"I'd hang onto that one, sweetie, he's a rare find indeed."

"No, he's one of a kind!" Hermione eyed the dress that she'd worn for only a few short hours and sighed softly.

"Now don't fret, the dress isn't everything."

"I'm sorry?" Hermione asked confused.

"I see the look in your eyes, my dear.  Just remember, clothes make a woman pretty, but a good heart makes any woman a princess."

Hermione's eyes lit up, and she couldn't resist, giving the old woman a hug.

"Thank you so much."

"No thanks needed.  You better get going before Harry comes looking for you."

"Yes, goodbye now."

"Goodbye."

Harry and Hermione reunited in the tunnel leading back outside to the carnival.  Their hands entwined, and smiles adorned their faces.  Harry grinned as he raised her hand and kissed it.

"Milady, may I escort you?" His eyes glittered mischievously.

"Of course, my lord, it would be my pleasure." They laughed all the way back out of the tunnel.

"There they are!" Ron gasped as he saw his two best friends emerge from the side of the main tent.

"Hi Ron," Harry called.  He and Lavender had been waiting for them to come out.

"So the stars of the show have finally arrived," Lavender chuckled.

"How did we do?" Hermione asked anxiously.

"You guys were great – up until the end," Ron said; his voice lowering steadily.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.  His friend grinned wryly.

"Oh nothing, just that you two were about to burn the place down with that kiss."

"You're terrible!" Hermione cried as her cheeks tinted.  They all laughed at the joke and enjoyed the comradery they all shared.

"Hey, I know, why don't we all grab something to eat?" Ron advised.

"Always thinking with your stomach, eh Weasley?" Lavender teased.

"I do not!" His girlfriend giggled.

"Normally, that would be great, Ron, but Harry and I have to meet my parents for dinner," Hermione stated.

"You never told me that!" Harry gasped.

"Cause I knew that you'd worry about it all day." He shut-up immediately; sometimes, she knew him too well.

"I guess we better say goodbye then."

Harry gave Ron a hug, and Hermione gave him a kiss on the cheek.  She hugged Lavender goodbye, and Harry gave her a gentle squeeze.

"Bye, you guys, we'll see you in couple of weeks," Ron called as he and Lavender headed towards the food court.

Hermione leaned against Harry's shoulder, and his arm encircled her waist.

"Harry, we better get going; my parents should be home shortly."

"Okay, whatever you want."

They walked hand in hand back to the entrance.

After exiting the carnival, the pair headed back around the side to the tree that they'd initially arrived at.

"Harry, thank you for bringing me here today; I had a lot of fun."

"So did I, Herm, now I see why you love it so much."

Reaching into the knothole, Harry drew out his invisibility cloak, and Hermione checked to make sure they were alone.

"All clear, Harry."

With a flick of his wrist, he snapped the cloak over them, and the two disappeared.  Harry felt Hermione's arms wrap around him, and he held onto her shoulders.

"Ready?"

"Hmm, let's go home."

A small pop was heard, and they disappeared into the night.


	10. Blessing

Hermione was quite surprised when she and Harry apparated onto her front porch.  Quickly scanning the area, he lifted off the invisibility cloak, and the pair reappeared.

"Harry, what are we doing out here?  Why didn't you just bring us inside?"

"I wasn't sure when your parents were coming home, and I didn't think they'd like it if we just popped into their living room without any warning."

"I see your point." Hermione turned her head towards the driveway, but her parent's car wasn't there.

"Um Harry…I didn't bring my house keys with me."

"Oh come on, the great Hermione Granger doesn't need keys to open a lock.  Remember first year?" Harry asked and raised his eyebrows.  She just glared at him.

"Course I remember, you jerk, but I don't have my wand with me!"

"Who says you need a wand?" Harry turned her towards the door.

Hermione suddenly became very nervous; she'd never been able to magic without her wand before.  She tried it once, and it had failed miserably.

"Harry, I can't do this," she pleaded.

"Yes, you can," he put his hands on her shoulders, "Now close your eyes and focus.  Raise your hand towards the door."

She did as he instructed.

"Good.  Now, try and imagine that you're using your hand as a wand instead.  Concentrate your spell through it.  See the magic leave your hand."

"I don't know." Harry hugged her gently.

"I know you can do this, sweetheart, just trust yourself."

Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat and calmed herself down.  She could do this!  Pointing her hand towards the door, she concentrated on the words she knew by heart.

"Alohomora!"

The latch came undone, and the lock retracted.

"I did it!" she said ecstatically.  Spinning around, she jumped into Harry's arms and hugged him.

"Whoa, easy there!" he chuckled.

"Oh Harry, I can't believe I did magic without my wand.  The last time I tried it – nothing happened."

"Maybe you just needed a little encouragement.  I knew you could do it, and now, so do you." He kissed her forehead and smiled.

This day was getting better by the minute as far as Hermione was concerned.  Opening her front door, Harry followed her inside.

Hermione's parents came home about a half-hour later.  Harry had volunteered to make dinner again – with Hermione's help of course, but Melinda Granger had immediately shooed him out of her kitchen.

So, Harry and Hermione had elected to head into the backyard.

The two were flopped out on the grass; the dusky sky sent a rainbow of colors across the horizon.  Harry lay with hands behind his head, watching the clouds roll by.  Hermione was by his side; her right forearm draped over her eyes.

"Sweetheart?" he whispered.

"Hmm?" she replied without moving.

Harry turned on his side.  Plucking out a few blades of grass, he ran them teasingly up her arm.  Hermione flinched slightly but ignored the sensation.  However, when Harry brushed the tip of her nose, she swatted at the annoying object, while trying not to laugh.  She turned to face him and propped herself up on her right elbow.  Harry reached out and brushed a few stray hairs off her face.

"I'm glad you invited me here, Hermione."

"And I'm glad you came, Harry."

"It's times like this when I finally have an answer."

"What do you mean?" she asked rather confused.

"An answer to the question, is it all worth it?  Was the loss of my parents and my friends truly worth it?"

"Oh Harry." Hermione had never realized how deep his convictions were.

"All I can say is…that if I can have more moments like this with you…then I'll gladly face a hundred Voldemorts."

Harry lay back down, and Hermione scooted closer to him.  She laid her head on his chest, and his arms surrounded her.

"You've earned this happiness, Harry, don't ever let anyone else tell you otherwise."

"Not a chance, my angel," he sighed and kissed her hair.

From the kitchen window, Melinda Granger could clearly see the pair outside.  Her eyes surveyed the way Harry handled her daughter – such tenderness he possessed.  He couldn't not love her and be that compassionate.  Though it had only been for a few months, Melinda had come to care very much for Harry.  The young man possessed an unusual aura.  He could win over anybody with his charm, but it never went to his head.  He was both humble and modest; never had she met a teenager who was as unselfish as Harry Potter.  Most of all, he had brought a new life into her daughter's eyes.  Hermione had always been a bit shy around boys, but she could always talk to Harry.  He was her best friend, and that was why they fell in love.

A strong hand on her shoulder brought her out of her thoughts.

"What is it?" her husband asked.

"Oh nothing," Melinda sighed, noticing that her eyes were quite moist.

"Talk to me, sweetie, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, John, it's just that…I'm beginning to see why Hermione chose Harry."

"I agree.  I think that boy would go to hell and back for our daughter."

"I think he already has," his wife laughed.

"So why the tears then?"

"My daughter's growing up.  Can't a mother cry over that?"

"Melinda." John Granger hugged his wife gently.

"I can't believe I'm about to say this, but we have to let her go sometime."

"You're right, and I don't think I could've picked someone who's as perfect for Hermione myself."

Twenty minutes later, Melinda Granger called in the young lovers.  They joined Hermione's parents at the table and took their seats.

"So Hermione, I forgot to ask you how the carnival was?" her mother inquired.  Her daughter tried hard not to laugh, and Harry had to stifle a grin.

"It was wonderful, mom, we even met some of our old friends there!"

"Really?  Who did you see?"

"We ran into Ron Weasley and his brothers, Fred and George.  We also saw my roommate Lavender there."

"Ah, I remember you mentioning them before," her father stated. "Didn't you say that they were quite the accomplished pranksters?"

"Yes, they even had a booth set up with all of their things to play practical jokes on people, but it couldn't have topped what Ron was doing."

"And what was that?" Melinda asked, noting the way Harry and Hermione were looking intently at one another.  The two suddenly burst out laughing.

"He…he was in the dunk tank!" Harry chuckled.

"My goodness!" Mrs. Granger gasped, trying not to laugh herself, "How did the poor boy end up there?"

"His brothers got him the job," Hermione giggled. "And we took full advantage of it; he was soaked through and through."

"So how was the new medieval show they added this year?" John Granger asked, taking a bite of his wife's ham.

Again, Harry and Hermione looked at one another, but this time, their eyes were full of love and warmth for each other.

"Well dad, we were kinda involved in it."

"What do you mean?"

"Hermione and I were chosen to play roles in the performance," Harry answered.

"Oh my, how exciting!" her mother said happily, "So what were your parts?"

"I…I was a princess," her daughter replied as her cheeks flushed, "and Harry was a prince.  I had been kidnapped by an evil lord, and he was supposed to rescue me."

The two adults began laughing, making the young couple blush deeply.

"And did he?" her mother prodded.

"Of course, I did!" Harry interrupted.

"He came for me – just as he always does," she confirmed.

"Sounds like you two had quite a day," Melinda sighed.

"It was the best!" Hermione said with a bright smile.

Dinner proceeded with Harry and Hermione continuing their story about the carnival.

"Hmm, that was great, mom!"

Hermione sat back and stretched.  She felt really relaxed, but a few of her muscles were a little stiff.

"If you'll excuse me, I have a date with a warm bath." Her eyes flashed towards Harry to see his reaction, but he just gave her a half-smile.

For once, Harry was actually thankful that Hermione was leaving the room.

Once he heard water running upstairs, Harry was sure that he could proceed with his plan.  He looked at Mr. and Mrs. Granger sitting next to and across from him, and a lump formed in his throat.  He'd been preparing this conversation over and over in his mind for months, but he suddenly forgot it all.

"May I talk to you two about something?" he asked quietly.

"Certainly Harry, is something wrong?" Melinda said worriedly, noting the slightly downtrodden look in his eyes.

"There is something that I wanted to talk about, but I didn't want Hermione around when I said it."

Now, the two parents knew this was serious.  The young couple had been practically joined at the hip all summer.

"Did you two have a fight?"

"No ma'am!" Harry said emphatically, "It's nothing like that at all."

"Then spit it out, lad, we're here," John stated.

"I wanted to ask you if…if…" Harry steeled himself and gathered his nerves, "…If I can have your daughter's hand?"

John and Melinda sat back and stared at one another in shock.  Had they just heard him say that?

"Harry, correct me if I'm wrong, but did you just ask permission to…marry Hermione?"  The young man looked John Granger directly in the eye.

"Yes sir."

"Well, I wasn't expecting this when I came home tonight." He looked at his wife who was just as flustered.

"Aren't you a bit young to be doing this, Harry?" Melinda stated and looked at him intently.

"Mrs. Granger, my entire life has been based on who I am.  I'm Harry Potter.  My relatives despised me, and the wizarding world adores me.  It's ridiculous.  I had no real identity – until I met Hermione.  She was the one person who saw 'me' and not my image.  I can't tell you how wonderful it is to have a friend who likes you for just being yourself.  She's always been by my side – no matter what.  That's one of the reasons why I love her; she wants 'me' – not Harry Potter."

"You make a good case, my boy, but I'm still concerned about this.  Neither of you is even finished with school yet," John said firmly.

"Mr. Granger, I wasn't planning to do this right away.  I want us both to finish at Hogwarts first – then we can talk about a date.  I know that you can't marry someone, and everything falls into place.  Both Hermione and I will have to decide what we're going to do – as well where we would live."

"I see that you've thought about this quite a bit, Harry, I respect that."

"Thank you.  I swore to myself a long time ago that I would always take care of Hermione – whether or not we are together.  I want to marry her because I love her like I've never loved anyone else.  I can't promise that our life is going to be perfect, but I will do everything in my power to make her happy."

John Granger looked at his wife, and she looked back at him.  They were clearly impressed with the maturity that the young man possessed.  He'd been asked to do so much at such a young age, and it had made him into an exemplary person.  Melinda looked at her husband, and a soft smile appeared on her face.  She could read his eyes clearly, and she nodded her head in agreement.

"Harry?" she said softly.  He waited nervously for her answer.  Melinda reached over and took her husband's hand.

"You have both our permission and our blessing."

The young wizard's face lit up, and he let out the breath he'd been holding for the last minute or so.

"Thank you so much!" he cried as his eyes moistened.

Melinda Granger smiled warmly at her future son-in-law.  She'd had an instinct about Harry from the moment she met him.  He brought a strength of character with him that few men possessed.  Most importantly, he made her daughter incredibly happy.  Sure they were both still young, but as Harry had said, he didn't mind waiting at all.  Rising to her feet, the older woman walked around the table and kneeled down next to him.

"There's one other thing that I want to tell you, Harry."

"Yes, Mrs. Granger?"

Taking the poor boy by complete surprise, she reached out and gave him a loving hug – much as mother would do.

"Welcome to the family."

At that moment, Harry couldn't hold it anymore, and tears began to slip down his cheeks.  Those words were more powerful than any spell he could ever cast.  He gently hugged the older woman back, and she tightened her hold on him.

"Thank you, ma'am."

Not wanting to embarrass him any further, Melinda let him go.

"Just remember Harry, you'll have to start calling me mom soon," she laughed, and he blushed deeply.

The stairs creaked as someone came down, and a moment later, Hermione came back into the room.  Her hair was still damp and hung loosely around her shoulders.  What made Harry smile was that she was wearing her plaid, flannel pajamas; the same ones that he'd given her; the same ones she'd worn the first night they were together.

"Okay, what's going on here?" she asked, seeing her mother right next to Harry, and he face still partially red.  When no one answered, she put her hands on her hips.

"Mom, what did you do to him?"

"Nothing sweetie, nothing at all," her mother giggled and stood back up.  Her father started chuckling as well, but what really goaded her was when Harry started laughing.

"What is going on here?" she demanded with fire in her eyes.

"Nothing's wrong, Herm," Harry sighed and looked up at her; his face was practically glowing, "…Everything is absolutely perfect."

That left Hermione even more confused.

Later that night, Harry was in his room rummaging through his trunk.  Finding what he wanted in the back corner, he pulled out the small box and tucked it into his pocket.  Running a hand through his messy hair, he took a deep breath to clear his head.

'All right, Potter, this is it.  It's time to ask her.'

With his heart pounding a million miles a second and determination burning in his eyes, Harry quietly walked down towards Hermione's room.


	11. Proposal

Hermione stood in front of her bureau combing her hair.  She wondered if Harry was going to spend the night with her again.  They'd spent many nights in the same bed, but not every night led to heated passion.  She remembered several nights of lying next to him with her head on his shoulder.  One arm would be wrapped around her, and his other hand would be entrenched in her hair.

Knock…knock…knock…

'That's odd, I thought my parents were already asleep.'

When Hermione opened the door, she came face to face with Harry's green eyes.

"Harry?"

"Hi sweetheart, may I come in?" The question was so absurd she nearly laughed.

"Of course, you can."

Harry walked inside and shut the door behind him.  She was stilling wearing those flannel pajamas, and they looked wonderful on her.

"Something wrong?" she asked, noticing how set his jaw was.

"Nothing at all…come here."

Hermione accepted his open invitation and stepped into his arms.  He wrapped her securely in his embrace and gazed down into her beautiful, brown eyes.

"Do you trust me?" he asked out of the blue.

"Excuse me?"

"Do you trust me?" he repeated.  Hermione could clearly see that something was bothering him.

"Sure I trust you, Harry; I trust you with my life!" She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I trust you with my heart and soul."

That brought a full smile onto his face.

"Good, then hang on!"

"What in bloody…" Hermione gasped they suddenly appeared outside.

She looked down and gulped, seeing that they were now floating several hundred feet above her house.

"Harry, are you crazy?"

"No, I just wanted to do something special for you.  Look…" and he nudged his head upwards.

Hermione looked up, and the site nearly took her breath away.  Stars lit up the heavens, and their celestial light ran down past the horizon itself.  The moon was full, and it cast a pale shadow over the young lovers.

"This is so beautiful; thank you!" she nearly cried.

Harry released her slightly and moved back about half a step.  He dug into his pocket for what he wanted and took a deep breath.

"Hermione, I brought you up here to ask you something very important – about us."

"What is it?" she asked, seeing the slight nervousness in his eyes.

"No matter what, Herm, you've always been there for me; you're my angel; and I love you.  I don't ever want you to leave my side; I don't want to know what it's like to not have you in my life.  I want to be with you forever."

"Harry…I…" Her eyes began to water at his heartfelt words.

Doing the best he could in midair, Harry bent down on one knee and looked up at the girl of his dreams.  Even in pajamas, she looked perfect.  He took hold of her left hand and held up his right palm.

"I want to ask you, Hermione Granger…will you…will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?"

It felt like a ten-ton dragon had just been lifted off his shoulders, while his girlfriend stood there in shock.

"Harry…I…I don't know what to say…except…" Tears were streaming down her cheeks, and a string of fear latched onto his heart.

"…Yes…yes, I will marry you, Harry Potter."

Pure joy erupted in the young wizard's eyes, and his thumb cracked open the small box.  Hermione's eyes widened when she saw the beautiful ring inside.  Taking it out, he slid the gold band onto her ring finger; it was perfect fit.  The diamonds that made up the firebird's eyes twinkled in the moonlight and reflected in Hermione's shimmering pools.

"It's so lovely." Harry stood back up to his feet.

"Not nearly as lovely as its owner." Taking her face in his hands, he kissed her long and hard, and she settled into his strong arms.

"I love you," he whispered against her lips.

"And I love you," she answered.

Hermione laid her head on his chest and clutched the front of his shirt.  She just couldn't believe it; Harry had proposed to her; it was her dream come true.  She was going to marry Harry…her Harry…her protector and her lover.

After floating up the heavens for almost an hour, Harry suggested that they return to the Granger house.  His fiancé agreed wholeheartedly.

The couple reappeared in Hermione's bedroom, and she stepped back to admire the ring once again.  It had to be solid gold, and she loved the engraving of the firebird on the band.  Now, she had a ring for both her hands – Harry's precious ring and his engagement ring.

'Hmm, that must be a phoenix – just like Harry has.  What would her parents say when she told them about this?'

Reality suddenly slammed into her like a jackhammer.

"Oh my gosh, I didn't even think.  What are my parents going to say?" Harry almost snickered.

"What's so funny?" He grinned at her.

"Sweetheart, they already know."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, I spoke with them about it earlier this evening while you were in the bath.  I asked them for your hand, and they gave me both their permission and their blessing."

"Really, that's so wonderful!" and she hugged him tightly, "Mom's gonna go nuts."

Harry suddenly became a bit more solemn.

"Herm, I was thinking this through, and I thought it might be best if we take our time with this.  One of the arguments your parents made is that we're both still very young.  I'd considered that and said that I'm not just running into this.  First off, I want us both to finish at Hogwarts, and second, I want us to plan our future together."

"That's sound quite logical; I must be rubbing off on you."

"Sweetheart, I just want to say that I will do everything I can to make you happy.  I know that our life isn't going to be perfect; nothing's ever normal when I'm around.  I don't know what could happen in the future, or if I'll have to fight again some day.  I just don't know, Hermione." She could tell that this really troubled him.

"Harry, nothing in life is perfect.  As far as being normal, I wouldn't have you any other way; you're just you.  Whatever life has ahead for you, I want to be there to help you through it.  It doesn't matter what evil tries to destroy us; I won't ever leave you, my darling." He actually chuckled.

"By Merlin, how did I find such an amazing woman to be my wife?" Hermione blushed as he referred to her as his wife.

"If memory serves, I believe you met her about seven years on the Hogwarts Express."

"And my life has never been the same since."

She giggled softly and wrapped her arms around him.  Harry bent down and captured her lips in a hungry kiss.  His hands roamed over her sensitive flesh, and Hermione came alive under his tender caresses.

"Harry…" she sighed as his kisses moved down her neck, "…I need you tonight."

"Of course, sweetheart, I would like nothing more than to make love to my fiancé."

"Your fiancé?  I like the sound of that," she cooed.

"Good," and he shut her up with kiss.

The lovers held each other for a long time, letting their hearts speak without words.  Harry regretfully slipped out of her and moved to lie next to her.  Hermione turned on her side and gazed into his emerald pools.

"Harry, are we dreaming?"

"If we are, then life is a dream."

He drew her against his chest, and she burrowed into his embrace.  With the greatest of ease, Harry levitated them off the bed and moved the blankets up around them; then he gently set them back down and tucked Hermione into his side.

"You know, I think I'm gonna like being married to you," she giggled.

"And I'm sure that I'll love being married to the world's smartest witch!"

"Flatterer!"

"Yup, and you love me for it."

"True…very true."

"Are you tired, Herm?"

"Yes, but don't be surprised if I wake you up in a few hours," she said suggestively.

"I always did like surprises – especially from you."

"I love you," and she settled into his arms.

"I love you too," and he tightened his hold on her body.

Neither of them got much sleep during the night.


	12. Hermione's Training

"No, I'm not doing that!" Hermione nearly screamed.

"Come on, Herm, you have to learn sometime."

"No, I don't, I don't even like riding it."

Harry groaned and shook his head.  He was trying to teach Hermione how to ride a broomstick, but she just refused to cooperate.  They were out in the backyard, and he'd placed several invisibility and silencing charms around the area so no one saw what they were doing.

"Please sweetheart, try it again; I want you to be able to do this." She felt her reserves crumbling at his tender gaze.

"All right, but I don't see why I'm doing this; it's not like I need it to graduate."

Harry suddenly became very quiet, and she looked at him suspiciously.

"Harry?" she asked, noting how his eyes darted anywhere but her.

"Why don't you take a break?" he said nervously.

"What are you hiding?" she demanded and dismounted the broom.

"Well…um…that is…you kinda do need to know how to fly to graduate." Her eyes shot open in horror.

"Are you serious?  How do you know?"

"Fred and George told me about it.  He said that the N.E.W.T.S. are given by each professor – including Madam Hooch.  She won't pass you if you can't fly."  Hermione's face fell.

"But…but I…I've never been able to ride a broom properly.  I do well in everything else but flying!  Why should one subject matter?" she said franticly.

"Calm down, love," Harry whispered and touched her shoulders, "Everything is going to be fine.  I'll have you flying high in no time."

She turned her head and grinned at him slyly.

"What do you call last night?" she cooed.  He flushed slightly at her remark.

"I don't mean that, angel, and you know it."

"Now, come on, let's try this again."

Harry summoned his Firebolt and waited for Hermione.  She stood next to her broom, which was lying on the ground.  She never knew why she actually bought one – just to say that she had her own or something.  Lifting up her hand, she took a deep breath and put a determined look on her face.

"Hold it!" Harry ordered.

"What's wrong?" He shook his head and went behind her again.  Setting down his broom, he once again put his hands on her shoulders.

"Relax sweetheart, or you'll never be able to do this.  Flying isn't like studying potions or pruning mandrakes; it's meant to be done with a light heart; it's meant to be fun.  Now, lose the serious look."

"So what should I do?"

"Okay, close your eyes and relax your mind.  Don't think about anything in particular – just let yourself drift for a moment.  Good, now raise your hand and call for it."

Hermione lifted her arm over her broom and opened her eyes.

"Up!" she said firmly, and the broomstick snapped into her hand.

"I did it!" Harry squeezed her shoulders gently.

"There you see, don't take it so seriously.  Let's see if we can get you off the ground."

Hermione gulped at that prospect.  She'd always had a slight fear of heights.  The other night when she and Harry were floating high above the town, she was certain her stomach was going to explode, but his presence kept her calm.  She mounted her broom and waited for his next instructions.

Harry mounted his Firebolt and rose off the ground slightly.  He floated around in front of her and looked directly in her eyes.

"All right, Hermione, you can do this.  Grip the handle, but don't try to crush it.  Now make sure that you feel comfortable with the way you're sitting…" She nodded at him.

"…Okay, this is tough part.  Don't think about trying to fly; don't think about not touching the ground.  Just push off the ground and not even think twice about where you're going."

He could see her hands tremble slightly, and she took several deep breaths.

'You can do this, Hermione, you can do this!'

Even if she didn't do it right the first time, Harry wouldn't belittle her; he would just encourage her to do it again.  Closing her eyes, she kicked off the ground, and a second later she couldn't feel the ground anymore.

"You did it!" Harry said happily.

His fiancé opened her eyes and looked down.  She was hovering steadily, approximately five feet above the ground, and a smile broke out on her face.

"I'm flying; I'm really flying."

"Yup, told you could do it, Herm.  There's nothing my girl can't do," he said proudly and winked at her.  She just blushed slightly.

"Um Harry…how do I get down now?"

"Okay, slowly lean forward but don't bend over, or it might think you want to go forward.  Lean forward and push down on the handle gently."

Hermione did as he instructed, and her broom turned down and slowly sank back to the ground.  Her feet touched the grass, and she let out a much-needed breath.

"Phew, I'm glad that's over," she gasped.

"Don't worry, you'll get used to the feeling; you just need a little more practice."

"Can we stop for today?  I'm still a little edgy about it," she whispered, and he smiled warmly at her.

"Course we can.  Besides, there are some other things I wanted to show you anyway."

"Like what?" Hermione asked and dismounted her broom.  Harry joined her back on the ground and set down his Firebolt.  Looking around, he picked up a rock out of the grass.

"Like this…" and he tossed the stone into the air.  Pulling it out his wand, he took aim.

"Exploda!" and it shattered into a million pieces of dust.  Hermione gulped, and she gawked at him.

"You want me…to learn…that!" He nodded at her.

"Not just that, Hermione, there are other spells too.  I want you to learn how to defend yourself – not just disarm another wizard.  I need you to know how!"

She looked into his eyes and saw the seriousness in his eyes; this went much deeper than he was admitting.

"Won't you get in trouble for showing me this though?"

"Not as long as you don't curse someone in public."

"Harry, why are you doing this, and don't say because I could get hurt?" He groaned slightly.

"Hermione, there's only one thing that I truly hate and that's to see you get hurt.  I'm not just talking about physically either.  I can still remember back in second year when Malfoy called you a Mudblood; you stood there in Hagrid's hut trying not to cry your eyes out.  You're a very strong-willed person, and I want you to be able to prove it.  You may be a muggle-born, but I know that you have great potential inside you."

"That's sound like the same thing Dumbledore keeps saying to you," she laughed.

"I know, and it took me a while to get it through my thick head!"

"So what exactly do want to teach me?  I know a lot of charms and hexes – if you recall."

"Course you do, but those are strategic spells.  I want to teach you magic that is both offensive and defensive.  I'm not gonna teach you how to kill someone obviously, but you'll put up one helluva fight!"

"Well…I never thought I'd like stuff like this, but I guess it wouldn't hurt."

"I admit that this is for my benefit as well – especially considering you agreed to marry me," he said softly.

"How do you mean?"

"You may think this sounds selfish, but I'm afraid to leave you alone sometimes.  I'm afraid that something bad is going to happen to you, and I'll be responsible…"

"Harry, don't-" He cut her off.

"…I know it sounds stupid, but it's the truth.  If I train you how to duel and defend yourself, then at least I have a slight peace of mind that some rogue Death Eater won't curse you if I'm not around."

Hermione gazed at him and shook her before smiling warmly.  Poor guy, he was trying so hard not to sound like an idiot, and she couldn't help but think that he was quite right.  Being his wife meant that she would become a target, but bloody hell, she already was a target when it came to him.

"If you want to make sure that I can match wands with the best of 'em, then by all means…show me how!"

"I knew you'd say yes, and if I'm right, you may soon be giving McGonagall a run for her money – not to mention Sirius…the poor guy."

Hermione started laughing hysterically.

"And what about Malfoy, hmm?" she asked with a rather sinister smile.

"Believe me, by the time we're through, you'll be able to strip him down and hang him upside down by his underwear in the Great Hall."

"Why Harry…what an interesting idea?" she said with a sly grin.  He walked right up to her and cupped her cheek.

"Do I dare ask what devious thoughts are brewing in that brain of yours?"

"A woman does not reveal all of her secrets, Harry – not yet anyway.  One must keep her man interested after all."

"That won't ever be problem for me," and he kissed her long and hard.  His hands framed her face, and her fingers tangled in his hair.

"Hmm, are we going to snog or practice, love?" she cooed softly.  He chewed his lip for a moment.

"Both are quite important, but I must say that practice should come first…" Bending down, Harry nuzzled her ear, "…we can play later."

As the final weeks of the summer rolled by, Harry continued training Hermione.  It wasn't nearly as rigorous as his own training had been, but he wanted to teach her how to fight – if necessary.  The one thing that he didn't want Hermione to feel was inadequate.  He was afraid that if she ever saw his true power, she'd feel out of place being at his side.  This way, she would have no cause for such nonsense.  The only thing that he didn't try to show her was how to apparate.  It had taken him long enough to learn it, and he didn't want to be responsible if she did it wrong.  Besides, Hermione would learn it at Hogwarts this year anyway.

Harry's last day at the Grangers was very happy.  Hermione had leaked it to her mom that it was his birthday, and Melinda had baked a cake for him.  He told her that he didn't want one, but as he expected, she shut him up.

As they saw at the dining room table finishing up dinner, an owl arrived at the window.  It pecked at the glass, and Hermione immediately went to see it.  Opening the pane, she saw that there were two letters attached to its leg.  Untying them, she petted its feathers, and the barn owl squeaked as it headed back home.

"Who's it from, Herm?" Harry asked, as he took a bite of cake.

"It's from Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall.  Here…this is yours," she replied and handed him an envelope.

"Thanks."

They both ripped open the seal and took out their letters.

"Oh my gosh!" Hermione gasped.

"What is it?  Has something bad happened?" her mother asked worriedly.  Her daughter shook her head emphatically.

"No, nothing like that, here…"

Melinda took the letter from her and looked at the calligraphic writing.

TO MISS HERMIONE GRANGER,

IT IS MY ESTEEMED PLEASURE TO ANNOUNCE THAT YOU HAVE BEEN NAMED HEAD GIRL AT HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT OF WIZARDRY.  CONGRATULATIONS.

                                                                                    ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

                                                                                    SCHOOL HEADMASTER

"Oh Hermione, this is wonderful; I'm so proud of you," her mother sighed and hugged her tightly.

"Congratulations Hermione," her father added and kissed her cheek.  Harry did not say anything; he just sat there grinning.

"What?" his girlfriend asked, seeing the sly smirk on his face.

"Looks like we're a matching pair!" he laughed.

"What do you mean?"

"I got named Head Boy for this year," Harry chuckled and rolled his eyes, "I can just see the look on Fudge's face right about now.  A previously expelled student being named Head Boy of the entire school."

"Harry, that's wonderful," Mr. and Mrs. Granger said at the same time.

"Now Harry, you do realize this means that you have to behave yourself this year," Hermione said cheekily.

"I beg your pardon!"

"You know what I'm talking about – no fooling around.  It would look bad if the Head Boy got into more trouble than anyone else."

"I resent that, Herm, it's not my fault if trouble seeks me out."

"Oh please, you and Ron attract it like a magnet."

"Ouch, that one hurt," and he clutched his chest in mock pain.  Hermione giggled and rubbed her foot against his.

"Don't worry, I'll keep you in line."

"Don't you always?" he countered with an arched eyebrow.

"Good point."

"My goodness, you two, how often do you fight like this?" Melinda asked, watching them go back and forth.  Harry scratched his forehead to look like he was thinking.

"I'm not sure.  What do you say, Herm…five or six times a day?"

"Sounds about right."

"A day!" Mr. Granger gasped.

"Yes, we like to think of it as intellectual warfare," Harry teased.

"And I win every time!" Hermione giggled.

"Not every time, sweetheart, just most of the time."

Harry reached across the table and took her hand.  Hermione smiled warmly and squeezed his hand in return.  Their eyes conveyed their feelings to one another without saying a word.

"You know, I was kinda hoping that Ron would get picked," Harry admitted.

"Why do you say that?" Melinda asked.

"It's always been his dream.  He wanted to be able to step out of his brothers' shadows."

"Don't worry about Ron, he won't mind; he'll have more free time this way anyway," Hermione explained.

"Just think, we're gonna have to go to all the prefect meetings and handle all the problems that students complain about."

"Trust me, Hermione, I'm not gonna spend my last year at Hogwarts cooped up in meetings all the time.  If someone has a problem, they can explain it to me straightforward, but I'm not going to listen to a load of crap from people."

"I agree completely; this is gonna be quite a partnership," she teased and winked at him.

After dinner was finished, Harry and Hermione headed upstairs to finish packing their things for the following day.

Harry loaded his clothes into his trunk but left a pair out for the morning.  He put his Gryffindor robes on top for easy access and put his Firebolt underneath his clothes.  He remembered the first time that Mrs. Granger had caught him teaching Hermione how to ride a broom; she'd completely flipped!  However, after explaining that nobody could see them outside the residence, she calmed down.

He turned his head as someone knocked on his door and in walked Hermione.  He smiled, and she walked directly into his arms.

"Well…our summer's over now, Harry."

"Thank you, Hermione, I've had a wonderful time here; you don't know how lucky you are to have parents like these."

"I'm glad that you came here for the summer; I would've missed you too much."

"You know, Herm, I was just thinking…"

"That's always good."

"Smart-aleck.  I was thinking that each of us is going to have our own room this year."

"I know, that's gonna be great for studying," she chirped.  He should've known she'd say something like that.

"That's true, but it also means that we won't be interrupted so easily…" His sighed and cupped her cheek.  His eyes darkened, and she melted under his gaze.

"…I think I'm gonna like having you all to myself."

"But you already do," she quipped.

"Without any prying eyes around.  From what I've heard, the Head Boy and Girl's rooms are adjunct to one another.  We even have our own portrait password."

Hermione smiled coyly and draped her arms around his neck.

"That has definite possibilities.  Just think, I could come by and surprise you right in the middle of the night."

"And so could I, sweetheart."

Apart from the intimacy portion, Harry was glad that he would be able to have Hermione alone.  It was be nice to be 'living with her'; they were engaged after all.  Harry picked up her left hand and rubbed the ring on her third finger.  He brushed his lips against her knuckles, and she pulled him closer to nuzzle his palm.  Harry kissed her softly and let her go.

"Did you finish packing?"

"Yes, my dad said that he'll drive us to King's Cross in the morning."

"Sounds good to me.  I'll be done as soon as Hedwig gets back from her evening snack hunt," he sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Well then…I guess we better go to bed," Hermione said reluctantly.  Her eyes held a question and a look of hope.

"As much as I don't want to, sweetheart, we better sleep separately tonight.  I don't want your dad to catch us on the last day that I'm here."

"Okay, I understand."

Hermione leaned forward, and Harry bent down to her soft lips.  This kiss was passionate but not overheated; it was just simple and wonderful.

"Goodnight Hermione."

"Goodnight Harry."

He walked her to his door and let her out.  Bending down next to her ear, he whispered something softly.

'I'll see you in my dreams.'

Hermione flushed slightly, but her smile was appreciative, and she slipped out of her lover's arms.  Harry let her go and quietly shut the door.


	13. Goodbye

The entire Granger household was up before dawn.  Melinda was busy in her kitchen, making an early bird breakfast for her husband, Hermione, and Harry.  John Granger came downstairs first and kissed his wife good morning.

Meanwhile, Harry looked like he'd just been cast in the movie 'Night of the Living Dead'.  Even after a shower, he still looked like a zombie.  He rubbed his temples and forced his brain to remain awake.  Opening his trunk, he checked to make sure that all his things were inside.  Hedwig was asleep in her cage, and her head was tucked under her right wing.

"Good morning," Hermione said brightly and walked into his room.  She was wearing a white sweater and a grey, knee-length skirt.

"Uh," Harry just groaned and rubbed his face.  She just giggled at him.

"You're not much of a morning person are you?" she sighed and sat down next to him.

Harry's tiredness faded as he caught a hint of her enticing aroma, and his eyes opened fully.  He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her thoroughly.

"Not unless I wake up next to you," he said softly.

"Harry…" she blushed and lowered her head.  He kissed her forehead and kicked his trunk shut.

"Do you need some help with your trunk?"

"Sure, but what about yours?"

"That's what levitation's for, sweetheart, c'mon."

Melinda Granger walked into the dining room carrying a plate of steaming bacon when her daughter nearly bounded down the stairs.

"Morning mom!"

"Morning sweetie, is Harry coming down?"

"Right behind her," came a reply, and the young man popped up behind Hermione.

Harry turned around and pointed his wand towards the staircase.

"Wingardium Leviosa!"

Tapping his wand in midair, Harry directed Hermione's trunk down the stairs and in front of the door.  Mr. and Mrs. Granger were quite surprised to see something floating in the middle of their house.  Next came Harry's trunk, and he set it down right next to Hermione's.

"Well…it beats having to carry them down," Hermione chuckled at her parents' questioning look.

Harry tucked his wand into his pocket and sat down next to his girlfriend.

"So Hermione…what classes are you taking this year?" her mother asked.

"Ah…Advanced Transfiguration…Expert Arithmacy…Potions…Care of Magical Creatures…and Apparition." Both of her parents looked at her with surprise at the thought of taking such courses.  Harry, on the other hand, was grinning broadly.

"Come on, Herm, you can pass those classes in your sleep; since when do you slack off?"

"I'm not slacking off…" she defended, "…I haven't learned how to apparate yet!"

"And the others?" he prodded.  She just smiled cheekily.

"Fine, I want to enjoy my last year at Hogwarts – not spend it all in the library again."

"Wow, Hermione Granger wanting to have fun instead of studying; my world has turned upside down," Harry laughed.

"What do you have, huh?" she said with a glare.

"Okay… Advanced Transfiguration…Advanced Arithmacy…Potions…Care of Magical Creatures…and Apparition.  Now before you say anything, I have to take Apparition; it's a requirement."

"So you and Hermione have several classes together," Melinda said proudly.

"Well…I'm not as smart as Herm is so she helps me out when I get stuck.  Arithmacy and Potions are really my worst subjects; she's a lifesaver in those."

"Now Harry…" Hermione put her hand on his arm, "…you do quite well by yourself."

"Then why do you always check my homework?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Old habit I guess," she answered.  They both started laughing.

"It's strange to think that this is gonna be our last year," Harry sighed.

"Yes, our final term at Hogwarts."

"We better get going," Mr. Granger cut in, "We don't want to get stuck in traffic."

"You're right, John, London is going to be packed this morning," his wife added.

After finishing breakfast, Harry waited patiently as Mr. Granger brought the van up in front of the house.  Whispering a soft spell, he once again reduced the weight of each trunk by half to make it easier to carry.  John grabbed one, and Harry took the other.  Hermione and Mrs. Granger followed them outside onto the driveway.  After Hedwig and Crookshanks' cages were loaded, they were all ready.

"Goodbye Hermione," her mother said and hugged her tightly.

"Bye mom, I'll write to you soon okay."

Harry watched the two of them and smiled at how close Hermione was with her mother.  However, once the two separated, her eyes turned to him.

"Come here, sweetie." The young wizard suddenly found himself smothered in Melinda Granger's arms.  He hugged the older woman back; she'd been just like a mother to him this summer.

"Thank you, Mrs. Granger, I've had a wonderful time this summer.  I hope that someday I can repay your kindness."

"Oh Harry, don't be so proper.  I'm glad that Hermione brought you here; you are quite an exceptional, young man." He blushed at her compliment.

He hugged her one last time, and she whispered something in his ear.

"You will always be welcome here, son." Those words made Harry's heart explode with warmth.  For the first time in his life, he felt like a part of a family.

"Thank you…mom," he answered back just as softly.

Melinda let him go as tears formed in her eyes.  She'd come to love the boy as her own; soon, he'd be calling her mom all the time.

Hermione smiled at the tender exchange.  She'd hoped that her mother would love Harry, and she did.  Her mission for the summer had been accomplished.  

They loaded up into the van and slowly pulled out of the driveway.  Harry turned to watch as the house disappeared in the distance; this had been the best summer of his life.  He turned back around, and Hermione took his hand.  He squeezed it gently and settled back against the seat.

Thankfully, the trio avoided most of the early morning traffic, and Mr. Granger pulled into the parking lot in front of King's Cross Station.

"All right, we better head for Diagon Alley," Hermione suggested.  She and Harry climbed out but left their trunks in the van.

"Dad, we shouldn't be more than an hour, okay?"

"That's fine, sweetie, take your time," John said to his daughter.

"We'll be back soon," Harry confirmed and followed his girlfriend.

Harry and Hermione walked down a familiar street and headed for a worn-looking, solid black building on the side of the street.  They entered the Leaky Cauldron, and Harry was brought back to the first time that he'd come through here with Hagrid.  It was strange to think that this was the last time he'd be doing this – as a student anyways.

"Well bless my soul, Harry Potter!"

The young wizard smiled as he heard Tom mutter the familiar words, and like clockwork, the entire bar froze in mid-action.

"Hello Tom, nice to see you again."

"Thank you, Mr. Potter, same to you."

"Please, just call me Harry," he laughed and rolled his eyes.

Just as he anticipated, a crowd quickly gathered around him, begging to speak with him.  They all wanted to speak to the wizard who had defeated Voldemort.  Hermione remained at his side, holding his hand and occasionally squeezing it for encouragement.

"Excuse me, everyone, but I must leave you now," Harry stated firmly.  Several groans were heard, but his hoard of followers dissipated.

"What will you be having today, Mr. Potter?" Tom then noticed that he was holding Hermione's hand tightly.

"Oh, please forgive my rudeness, who is this lovely, young lady?"

"I'm Hermione…Hermione Granger, it's a pleasure."

"Ah, now I remember ya'.  Haven't see ya much though?"

"I don't usually come this way; I've used floo powder for the last several years."

"Of course, that would explain it.  Well then, what will the two of ya be having?"

"Nothing Tom, thank you.  Hermione and I have to pick up our supplies for this year."

"Certainly, look forward to seeing you again."

"Goodbye," both teens said at the same time.

They exited out the back door and walked up to the brick wall.

"Now then, let me see if I remember this," Harry sighed and pulled out his wand.

"Allow me," Hermione said confidently and drew out her wand.  She quickly tapped the five bricks, and the wall rolled back out of the way.

"There we are." Harry grinned and kissed her cheek.

"That's my girl…genius by day…" he voice lowered to a husky whisper, "…vixen by night."

"Harry please!" she gasped and blushed furiously.  His eyes twinkled with mirth, and she couldn't help but smile at him.

Sliding his arm around her waist, the two headed into Diagon Alley.

Now, Harry was used to having people staring at him, but it seemed like everyone he passed by was gawking at him.  Hermione could sense it too, but most of the looks she got were jealous glares from girls.  It made sense to her since Harry had never openly showed such a close affection to someone of the opposite sex – especially walking down the middle of Diagon Alley with his arm slung around her waist.  She felt nervous but excited and proud at the same time.  She had to admit that it gave her ego quite a boost that she was Harry Potter's girlfriend, and his fiancé at that!  Hermione didn't even want to think of the backlash when that information got out.

"So what's our first stop?" Harry asked.

"Why don't we pick up our books first?  That way we won't get stuck in there later on."

"Sure, but can I meet you there?  I have to stop by Gringotts first, okay?"

"That's fine, I wanted to check out the new Hogwarts A History anyway."

Harry shook his head; he should've known.

"See you soon." He bent down and kissed her cheek.  He heard several gasps but ignored their onlookers.

They separated, and Hermione headed into the bookshop.

Harry stopped by Gringotts to fill up a pouch with enough galleons to pay for his supplies and a few extra for during the school year.  He was heading back to the bookshop and decided to check the list of supplies that Hogwarts had sent him.  His eyes scanned through it, but something just didn't click.  Then, he finally caught it.

'I don't believe it!' he screamed silently.  Why hadn't he seen it sooner?

He'd been given all the classes that he needed to graduate and so had Hermione, but there was one that was left out…Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Author's Notes:  That's gonna do it for 'Meet the Parents', but don't worry, there will be one more story in this series.  It's gonna go through their final year and maybe a little longer so stay tuned for 'Duel of the Hearts'.


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